Nigeria is set to receive a shipment of leprosy drugs from the World Health Organization (WHO) this weekend after a delay that lasted for a year.
Leprosy, also called Hansen’s disease, is a bacterial infection that affects the skin, nerves, respiratory tract, and eyes.
It can lead to disabilities if not treated early, but it is curable with multi-drug therapy.
The delay in supply was caused by bureaucratic processes and new testing rules for imported medicines in Nigeria. The country ran out of stock in early 2024, leaving patients without access to treatment.
The drugs, produced by pharmaceutical company Novartis, are donated for free through a WHO program.
Sources in the health sector revealed that Nigeria’s drug regulatory agency, NAFDAC, required extra testing for a batch of the medicine that was manufactured in India by Sandoz, a company that spun off from Novartis.
When the shipment arrived in Nigeria, it was held up due to this requirement.
WHO later requested an exemption from the additional testing rules, which was approved in January.
The organization has now confirmed that the shipment is set to leave India on March 8 and will arrive in Nigeria on March 9.
