Nigerian medical expert calls for tobacco screening, counselling in HIV care

A Nigerian HIV/AIDS researcher, Pharm. Melody Okereke, has called for the integration of tobacco screening, counselling and harm-reduction strategies into HIV care to improve the long-term health and quality of life of people living with HIV.

In a recent article shared with Western Post, Okereke stated that advances in HIV treatment had enabled more people to access antiretroviral therapy, achieve viral suppression and live longer, but warned that controlling the virus was only one aspect of comprehensive HIV care.

According to him, tobacco use remains an overlooked health challenge among people living with HIV, with some patients who have achieved good treatment outcomes continuing to experience persistent cough, breathing difficulties and other respiratory symptoms associated with long-term tobacco use.

He noted that tobacco use was often not discussed during routine HIV consultations, not necessarily because healthcare workers were unconcerned, but because many facilities lacked the tools, training and resources required to address tobacco dependence as part of comprehensive care.

“Integrating tobacco screening and counselling into HIV services does not mean creating another complicated programme. It means recognising that patients come to us with multiple health challenges, not just one diagnosis,” Okereke said.

Okereke noted that the changing realities of HIV care meant healthcare systems must pay greater attention to chronic conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancers and mental health challenges, which increasingly affect people living with HIV as they grow older.

He stressed that nicotine dependence could make quitting difficult for some patients, adding that while complete cessation remained the best option, healthcare workers should provide structured counselling and support for those who struggle to quit.

The pharmacist called for tobacco screening and counselling to be incorporated into existing HIV services, particularly at primary health centres, stressing that tobacco harm reduction could provide an additional avenue for engaging patients who find it difficult to quit and helping people living with HIV lead healthier lives.