Audu, Bridget: Pharmacy Management of HIV Patients & the Realities

To establish the roles of pharmacy in the management of HIV patients in Nigeria, adults infected with HIV, pharmacists and administrators involved in the management and care of HIV patients at Maitama District Hospital, Abuja were shadowed and interviewed. Also, NHS pharmacists who managed HIV patients in the UK were interviewed for comparative purpose. Faith in God and ART, HIV stigma and discrimination, staff and ART Shortage, delays and repeat hospital visits shaped how patients accessed services. Identified is a wide gap between HIV patients' hospital management in the UK and Nigeria as regards availability of ART, staff strength, number of patients in attendance on clinic days and weekly clinics. Thus, recommendations have been made for improvement.