President Bola Ahmed Tinubu lost his wife, Amaka, to an asthma crisis in July 2016, sparking a mission to establish the Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation (ACUF) in her honor. The foundation aims to advocate for improved asthma care access in Nigeria and Africa. The theme of this year’s World Asthma Day, “Make Inhaled Treatments Accessible for ALL,” highlights the global need for equitable access to essential asthma medications like inhaled corticosteroids.
Asthma prevalence in Nigeria is on the rise, with projections indicating a further increase by 2025. Urbanization and air pollution are significant contributors to this trend, placing a growing burden on healthcare systems. The lack of access to essential asthma medications has led to alarming mortality rates, particularly in under-resourced regions, where asthma-related deaths among admitted patients can be as high as 6%.
The cost of managing asthma in Nigeria has become prohibitive for many, with essential medications like inhaled corticosteroids priced beyond the reach of the average patient. The country’s heavy reliance on imported medicines, coupled with economic challenges and market dynamics, has further inflated medication costs, exacerbating the crisis.
Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure faces significant challenges, with a majority of primary health care facilities lacking essential resources and trained personnel to manage chronic conditions like asthma effectively. Outdated treatment practices and the absence of comprehensive national asthma management guidelines contribute to poor disease control and unnecessary suffering among patients.
Environmental pollution, particularly in urban centers like Lagos and Port Harcourt, worsens asthma symptoms and contributes to the development of respiratory diseases. Addressing pollution through stricter environmental regulations and enforcement of anti-flaring laws is crucial to mitigating the asthma burden in Nigeria.
The country’s low public spending on health, coupled with inadequate health insurance coverage, further compounds the challenges faced by asthma patients. Policy reforms, including updating the national Essential Medicines List, developing national asthma management guidelines, and increasing public health spending, are essential to improving asthma care access and outcomes in Nigeria.
As advocates like Prof. Chiwuike Uba push for policy changes and increased awareness, the call for equitable access to asthma care resonates across Nigeria. Urgent action is needed to ensure that no individual dies due to the inability to afford essential asthma medications. The time to prioritize asthma care access for all is now, as stakeholders come together to address this pressing national imperative.