Four die after using herbal HIV treatment in Gombe, association alleges

The Gombe State chapter of the National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria on Thursday, announced that four of its members died for allegedly using herbal treatment.

The State coordinator of NEPWAN, Muhammad Ibrahim, disclosed this during the 2023 World AIDS Day commemoration event in Gombe while decrying harmful effects of herbal medicines in managing the condition.

Our correspondent reports that the 2023 theme is Communities: Leadership to end AIDS by 2030.

Ibrahim explained that the tragedy underscores the urgent need for government and other stakeholders to work in verifying and regulating all alternative treatments being used to treat illnesses like HIV.

The coordinator said, a lot of HIV-positive patients that are desperately in need of cure in Gombe are subscribing and taking herbal remedies which are now killing them.

“A lot of our members are subscribing and using herbal medicine based on the information being spread by the hawkers of traditional medicine who are everywhere in Gombe. four died treated with traditional medicine.

“These people are openly advertising and claiming that they have discovered the treatment of HIV. As a result a lot of our people are buying the medicine and there is no scientific proof that the herbal treatments are real.

“We want the government to look into this and do needful, anybody that claims to have found treatment for HIV should be identified and invited by the government to verify his claims and certify it before public sales and use.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Health Dr Habu Dahiru, while addressing world press conference on the commemoration said the ministry would not advice anyone to use herbs as means of getting solution, “Herbal medicine damages the liver, kidney and it’s not advisable for anyone to use it as an antiretroviral. The antiretroviral drugs are working,” Dahiru added.