Dermatologists under the umbrella of the Nigerian Association of Dermatologists (NAD) have sounded an urgent alert over a severe shortage of essential medicines used to treat leprosy, raising concerns about patient care as the country marks World Leprosy Day 2026.
In a statement made available on Monday, Professor Dasetima Altraide, President of the association, said that supplies of the World Health Organisation-recommended multidrug therapy (MDT) have been critically low for more than two years, leaving many patients without access to life-saving treatment.
Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease is a curable bacterial infection when treated promptly with MDT. However, Altraide explained that bureaucratic delays and administrative hurdles have stalled the importation and distribution of the donated drugs, preventing the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) from completing quality clearance checks.
“Where treatment is unavailable, cure is impossible,” he said, stressing the grave implications of the shortages on patients’ health and recovery prospects.
Medical specialists have warned that when left untreated, leprosy can cause severe nerve damage, deformities and prolonged transmission within communities, compounding the disease’s impact on vulnerable groups.
The shortage comes at a time when public health advocates are highlighting the importance of reducing stigma and improving treatment access as core goals of World Leprosy Day, which this year focused on the theme: “Leprosy is curable, but the real challenge is stigma.”
Altraide has urged swift collaboration among health agencies, including government ministries and regulatory bodies, to expedite the release of MDT supplies and restore full treatment access nationwide. Without urgent intervention, he cautioned, ongoing disruptions could undermine efforts to control and eventually eliminate the disease in Nigeria.
Leprosy remains a neglected tropical disease in many parts of the world, including Nigeria, where thousands of new cases have been reported annually in recent years, underscoring the continuing public health challenge.
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