By Queen Kunde
A major health campaign aimed at tackling the growing burden of lupus in Nigeria has been launched through a new partnership between the Media, Health and Rights Initiative of Nigeria (MHR) and the Gift Lupus Foundation (GLF).
The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Abuja as part of activities marking World Lupus Month, with a focus on raising awareness, promoting early diagnosis and improving support for women living with the disease.
Lupus, also known as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), is a chronic autoimmune disease that mainly affects women between the ages of 15 and 44. Health experts say many Nigerians suffering from the disease remain undiagnosed because symptoms are often mistaken for malaria, stress or arthritis.
Under the agreement, both organisations will carry out nationwide awareness campaigns, train frontline health workers and encourage Nigerians — especially women — to seek medical testing early.
The campaign will also use MHR’s Love Matters Naija platform, which reaches over 800,000 young Nigerians, to spread information about lupus symptoms, treatment and stigma reduction.
Speaking on the partnership, MHR said lupus cannot be separated from women’s reproductive health and rights.
“A woman who does not know she has lupus cannot make informed decisions about her body, her fertility, or her future,” the organisation stated.
Founder of Gift Lupus Foundation, Dr. Lovette Ikongu-Ononuga, said poor awareness about lupus continues to worsen stigma and delay diagnosis in Nigeria.
She stressed the need for better public education and stronger caregiver support for people living with the disease.
The organisations noted that delayed diagnosis of lupus by up to five years is common in Nigeria, despite the fact that early treatment can help patients manage the condition successfully.
They urged Nigerians to watch out for warning signs such as unexplained fatigue, joint pain, recurring fever, hair loss and facial rashes.
The groups also called on health workers, donors and development partners to support efforts aimed at improving lupus awareness and healthcare access across the country.