Man discovered complete cure for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria

The Federal Government has mandated the National Institute for Medical Research and the College of Medicine, Ibadan to do proper study of the two claims to HIV cure in the country.

This mandate comes upon the heels of a statement by Nigerian university professor, Francis Otunta of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, claiming that a drug for the treatment and cure of HIV/AIDS has been discovered.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, disclosed this on Monday in Ilorin at the Federal Government Town Hall meeting for the North Central Zone.

A Nigeria university don, Prof. Maduike Ezeibe, recently claimed to have found a cure for the virus.

The minister, who was responding to questions on the position of government on the claims, said getting a cure would be of public health interest to the country.

According to him, Nigeria has about three million people infected with HIV, the second highest number in the world after South Africa.

The minister, however, said that there were modalities recognised globally for disclosure of cure which must be followed.

"What we need to do is to make sure that things are done properly.

"The process to undertake is the animal experiment to be sure it is efficacious and safe before moving to human.

"At the appointed time when we have the results, we shall come public," he said.

Adewole said that the government was close to achieving the promise to make 10,000 Primary Health Care (PHC) service centres available to Nigerians.

He disclosed that the European Union was investing in 650 PHC centres and the British government was funding 950.

The minister said the FCT Administration was working to replicate the Federal Government model of PHC centre in the 225 wards in the territory.

The Vice Chancellor of the institution located at Umudike in Abia state, announced the discovery of a drug which he claims is potent in the cure of the epidemic.

Otunta told newsmen at the university campus on Wednesday, February 1, that the finding followed years of scientific research by the institution.

He said that the breakthrough was made by Prof Maduike Ezeibe, a researcher in the university.

According to him, Ezeibe had presented the drug to the University management, Senate and Council, where he explained the processes he went through to arrive at his finding.

The VC also said that Ezeibe had equally presented the drug to his colleagues in the medical field and nobody had contradicted his finding.