The Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation (ACUF) has expressed concern over what it described as “soaring cost of drugs for the management of asthma.
The chairman of the foundation, Prof. Chiwuike Uba, made the group’s concern known at a news conference on Friday in Enugu.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, a common Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) worldwide, and a leading cause of avoidable suffering and death.
The chairman, who also expressed concern over the dearth of specialised physicians for asthma treatment in Nigeria, added that “the scale of the problem is sobering.”
Uba noted that with an estimated between 15 million and 20 million patients, the country carries one of the heaviest national burden of asthma globally.
According to him, urban prevalence rates range from 10 per cent to 13 per cent among children and young adults, while rural communities record slightly lower but still significant figures.
He said “yet, Nigeria has fewer than 80 registered respiratory physicians, equivalent to just one specialist for every 2.3 million citizens.
“Most patients are, therefore, managed by general health practitioners who often lack access to spirometry, the diagnostic gold standard.
“A national audit revealed that only a handful of hospitals and private centres own functional spirometers, and even fewer employ staff trained to use them effectively.
“The consequences are tragic, with thousands of avoidable deaths each year, particularly among the young.
“In schools asthma remains one of the leading causes of absenteeism, undermining educational attainment and limiting opportunities for millions of children.”
The chairman explained that for households living below the poverty line, asthma treatment could consume more than 30 per cent of their annual income, forcing such families to ration inhalers, skip doses or abandon treatment altogether.
He said that “indirect costs further compound the problem; missed school days, lost work productivity and premature deaths.
“Drug affordability remains a central challenge.
“In Nigeria, the cost of a salbutamol (Ventolin) inhaler has surged from around ₦3,500 to more than ₦7,500 in just two years, with some brands priced as high as between ₦15,000 and N20,000.
“Long-term controller inhalers often exceed ₦25,000, far beyond the reach of most citizens who pay out-of-pocket,” Uba, who is a Professor of Developmental Economy and Health Financing Expert, said.
He urged the federal and state governments, as well as health partners to collaborate to reduce the financial burden of asthma and promote specialised studies and research into the ailment.
