When Gbenga tested positive for HIV he thought it was a very big deal until meeting his Doctor and his friend Alex , Alex tested positive for Hepatitis B and has been spending out-of-pocket for the management of his condition for over two years now, when they met this was the outcome of their conversation.

Gbenga told Alex, men when I get my result and found out I was HIV positive, I was in serious shock and confusion until I met with my doctor, who counselled me and immediately placed me on ART (Anti-Retroviral Therapy), my doctor told me I have to come to the clinic every 2 to 3 months to collect and refill my medications, luckily for me, my medications are given for free as the US government funds them and I take them once daily, so since then I have been coping with the management of my condition and my viral load has been extremely low which means I’m doing pretty fine…

Alex who has been listening to him took a deep breath **hmmm** my brother your own good oh! I must tell you, since I was diagnosed with Hepatitis B, I don spend fire so tay my bank account don almost turn sahara, I mean he don red! head even burn as I dey yan with you self, you know why? na because nobody they fund the medications, not US government not even Naija government, secondly na few doctor (Gastroenterologist) dey Naija when fit manage the condition well.

After my test result them tell me make I do viral load which was about #60,000 (sixty thousand naira) and I gat they do am every 6 months at least, I still do liver function test they charge me about #15,000, na just test I dey yan you so oh! When they tell me of medication, o boy! he get one medication when they say go help me wella, when I hear the price, the shout when I shout reach to resurrect Lazarus! My brother #30,000 every week for about 48 to 52 weeks no stopping, managing this my condition no be beans oh! I no even pray make my enemy get am, watin pain me pass na say, the doctor tell me say Hepatitis B get vaccine wey fit help person prevent am and with #15,000 at most person don dey protected, so my brother you dey enjoy I dey tell you, as if me and you fit change disease I for like do am sharp sharp !

Prevention of Hepatitis B is cheap treatment is expensive, have you done your Hepatitis B test? Have you been vaccinated?