A Nigerian medical expert, Dr. Chinonso Egemba, popularly known as Aproko Doctor, has raised concerns over the impact of the United States’ suspension of funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) on Nigeria’s healthcare system.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Egemba warned that Nigeria cannot continue to rely on foreign donations for its health sector, stressing that the pause in US aid could lead to a surge in HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria infections.
“Nigeria must take its health system seriously. If we don’t act now, infections will rise, and lives will be lost,” he stated.
Nigeria currently has the second-highest number of HIV cases globally, and Egemba emphasized that without antiretroviral drugs, the virus could spread unchecked, leading to more AIDS-related deaths.
Beyond HIV, he noted that the funding cut would also affect efforts to combat tuberculosis and malaria, further straining an already fragile healthcare system.
“Our healthcare system is already overwhelmed. This funding pause could be disastrous,” he warned, urging authorities to take immediate action to prevent a health crisis.