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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that it will send leprosy medications to Nigeria this weekend after resolving testing-related delays that left thousands of patients, including children, without essential treatment for over a year.
Nigeria records more than 1,000 cases of leprosy annually. The disease, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, and eyes. While it is curable with multi-drug therapy (MDT), untreated cases can lead to severe complications, including disfiguring sores, blindness, and paralysis. Those affected also face significant social stigma.
However, the country ran out of MDT stock in early 2024 due to bureaucratic delays in supply and newly introduced domestic testing regulations on imported medicines. The drugs, manufactured in India, were held up as a result.
The shortage caused widespread suffering in Nigeria and highlighted vulnerabilities in the global supply system. Other countries, including India, Brazil, and Indonesia, have also experienced leprosy drug shortages in recent years, according to the UN Special Rapporteur for leprosy.
A WHO spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that Nigeria had completely exhausted its leprosy medication supply. The UN health agency, responsible for coordinating shipments of the drug, had requested a one-time waiver on the new testing policy, which was granted in January.
With the regulatory hurdle now cleared, the long-awaited shipment is set to arrive this weekend, providing much-needed relief to affected patients across the country.
“A dispatch of leprosy drugs from India has been confirmed for 8 March, with arrival in Nigeria on 9 March,” the spokesperson said by email.
