The Nigerian Association of Dermatologists has raised the alarm over a critical two-year shortage of multidrug therapy for leprosy patients across the country, warning that the absence of treatment is making a cure impossible for affected individuals. Leprosy is a fully curable disease when treated with the WHO-recommended multidrug therapy. They stated, “Regulatory and administrative delays have prevented clearance and distribution, leaving patients in multiple states without access to life-saving treatment. Without timely treatment, disease progression leads to visible disability, which fuels discrimination and social marginalisation. The statement concluded, “Leprosy elimination cannot be achieved without treatment.

Source: Punch January 28, 2026 07:22 UTC