By Lukman Olabiyi
M edical professionals and key stakeholders have called for intensified public awareness efforts to address persistent misconceptions about lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease.
At the World Lupus Day 2025 event held in Lagos, specialists underscored the urgent need to improve public understanding, noting that widespread misinformation often results in delayed diagnoses and inadequate disease management.
The event, with the theme, ‘Unseen Battle, Unbreakable Soul’, was organised by the Lupus Remedies Global Support Foundation (LRGDF).
A professor of Medicine at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts among government bodies, healthcare organisations, and media platforms to educate the public on the symptoms, risk factors, and treatment options associated with lupus.
Also speaking, consultant paediatric neurologist, Mrs. Ayodele Faleye, and Dr. Akeem Olaosebikan, stressed the need for early intervention and comprehensive support systems to enhance the quality of life for people living with the disease.
Fauzat Sanusi, Director of LRGDF and a lupus warrior herself, noted the foundation’s ongoing advocacy for greater government involvement and increased public awareness. She highlighted the financial challenges patients face in managing the condition.
“From detection to testing and medication, managing lupus is expensive.
Most diagnostic tests aren’t conducted in Nigeria—samples must be sent abroad to countries like South Africa, Germany, or Turkey, with results taking up to two weeks,” Sanusi explained.