Foundation Raises Concern Over Cost of Asthma Treatment in Nigeria

The Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation, an NGO, has expressed concern over the growing difficulty many Nigerian families face in caring for asthma patients due to worsening economic hardship and the high cost of treatment.

Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, Professor Chiwuike Uba, raised the concern on Thursday in Enugu during activities marking World Asthma Day, observed annually on the first Tuesday of May.

This year’s theme is: “Access to Anti-inflammatory Inhalers for Everyone With Asthma, Still An Urgent Need.”

Professor Uba said inhaled corticosteroids remain essential in the management of asthma because they help prevent attacks, reduce hospital admissions, and lower the risk of death by targeting airway inflammation.

He added that combination inhalers, which contain corticosteroids and fast-acting relievers, provide both immediate relief and long-term control of the condition.

According to him, access to the life-saving medications remains beyond the reach of many Nigerians because of widespread poverty and rising healthcare costs.

“A basic reliever inhaler costs between ₦5,000 and ₦8,500, while inhaled corticosteroids may cost as much as ₦35,000. Combination inhalers range from ₦34,500 to ₦70,000,” he said.

“With the national minimum wage at ₦70,000, and many households earning far less, a single inhaler can consume or exceed a family’s monthly income. For families living in poverty, this is not simply expensive; it is unattainable.”

Professor Uba, who is also a Professor of Applied Economics and Social Development, said many families now delay treatment, ration inhalers, or abandon asthma care entirely because of financial constraints.

He noted that some patients resort to cheaper oral medications with harmful side effects, while others rely solely on short-acting relievers that treat symptoms without addressing the underlying condition.

“Poverty, in this context, is not just an economic condition. It is a driver of preventable illness and death,” he added.