How a Whisper in the Pharmacy Fuels HIV Stigma in Nigeria
I had been waiting nearly 40 minutes in a crowded pharmacy. When my turn came, I handed over my prescription. The pharmacist glanced at it and suddenly leaned in. “Madam… come closer,” she whispered. In that instant, everyone nearby turned to look. I felt so small—not because I’d done anything wrong, but because of how the moment changed. I left with my drugs, but on the way home I kept asking myself: if this one whisper can make me feel ashamed, how many others will stop coming back? For many people living with HIV in Nigeria, it’s not just the illness. It’s the fear of being seen. The fear of being talked about. The silence around treatment. We can have access to life-saving drugs, but without dignity people may quietly slip away. Naijaworld family, what do you think? Is stigma in healthcare getting better in Nigeria, or just going underground?
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