COVID-19 is a global pandemic which has seriously impacted the economy of nations. Access to essential medicines is of utmost importance. This study examined the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ease of access to essential medicines by end users. A cross-sectional survey using electronic questionnaires was conducted on study participants across the 36 states of Nigeria. They were assessed on sociodemographics, health characteristics, and challenges in accessing essential medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data obtained were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 20, IBM, Armonk, NY) with overall impact of the pandemic operationalized as < 60.0% or ≥ 60.0% access to essential medicines by respondents as maximal and minimal impact, respectively. The results showed that 35.2% of the respondents managing chronic illnesses had difficulties accessing essential medicines during the COVID-19 lockdown, with 84.0% experiencing deteriorating chronic health conditions in the light of difficulty in accessing their medicines. The proportion of respondents who sourced for orthodox medicines before COVID-19 lockdown (98.4%) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of those who sourced for the same during the lockdown (89.0%). Increase in cost of medicines was observed by 77.7% of participants, with 73.9% of respondents living with chronic illness affirming that their income was negatively affected by the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic had minimal impact on consumers’ ability to access essential medicines. However, important challenges identified were poor availability of means of transportation, reduced income, and high cost of medicines, as well as fear of contracting the virus.

Chagas disease and leishmaniasis are two neglected tropical diseases that affect millions of people in low- and middle-income tropical countries. These diseases caused by protozoan parasites pose significant global health challenges, which have been exacerbated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. There is an urgent need for novel therapeutics as current treatments are limited by toxicity and drug resistance. Nucleoside analogues, which have been extensively studied and successfully applied in antiviral and antitumor therapies, hold potential that has yet to be fully explored for treating these neglected diseases. In this review, we discuss the use of nucleoside analogues as promising therapeutic agents for Chagas disease and leishmaniasis. After briefly examining the pathology, progression, and current treatment options for these diseases, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the status of nucleoside analogues and explore their prospects. By outlining the current landscape and future directions, this review aims to guide research and development efforts towards more effective nucleoside-based treatments for Chagas disease and leishmaniasis.