Chukwumuanya Igboekwu

As a medical doctor working in the remote Niger province of Nigeria, Chukwumuanya Igboekwu felt frustrated by the staggering number of people living with HIV and AIDS in his community who simply could not afford any form of effective anti-retroviral medication. He estimated that 99.5% of the 22,000 people living with HIV and AIDS in the region could not afford the expensive drugs they needed.

In an attempt to turn this situation around, Chukwumuanya began a local campaign to secure a significant increase in the amount of money dedicated to health in the provincial budget. The objective was to increase access to essential AIDS medications. He joined with another local organisation to form a coalition and began to lobby the government.

The four-hour drive from Chukwumuanya’s home to the state capital became a regular one. After many visits, he was able to meet with the Deputy Governor, the Commissioner of Health, key parliamentarians and other top officials within the Ministry of Health. Chuwumuanya and his coalition partners made a strong case for the government to take responsibility for providing clinical care and support for people living with HIV and AIDS.

On World AIDS Day in 2005, the government announced it would provide life-saving antiretroviral drugs to 1,000 people living with HIV and AIDS. This was the first time that the government had provided AIDS medication in Niger state. Chukwumuanya was amazed that what seemed like such a small effort had yielded such amazing results. Building on this success Chukwumuanya plans to start a national campaign for further sponsorship of antiretroviral drugs for people living with HIV and AIDS in regional areas.

Chukwumuanya has been an Oxfam International Youth Partnerships (OIYP) action partner.  Oxfam International Youth Partnerships is a global network of young people working with their communities to create positive, equitable and sustainable change. Find out more about OIYP.