In a quiet corner of her garden, Morenike takes slow, measured steps. Each movement is deliberate, a testament to her resilience. The 43-year-old mother of two, who chose not to use her real name to protect her privacy, used to run a thriving small business, but now she struggles with unrelenting fatigue, a draining legacy of long COVID.
“The fatigue part is the most debilitating,” she told Devex. “No remedy, not even multivitamins, amino acids, or supplements, worked. The only thing I noticed that made me feel better is Astymin [a nutritional supplement]. I take one a day now and walk around the garden.”
Morenike’s story is one among countless others in Nigeria and beyond, where the post-viral syndrome known as long COVID remains shrouded in misunderstanding and stigma. While the world has largely moved on from the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the scars left behind — especially neurological ones such as headaches, loss of smell, loss of taste, and muscle pain — linger quietly, altering lives in profound ways.
About the author
Paul Adepojupauladepoju
Paul Adepoju is a Nigeria-based Devex Contributing Reporter, academic, and author. He covers health and tech in Africa for leading local and international media outlets including CNN, Quartz, and The Guardian. He's also the founder of healthnews.africa. He is completing a doctorate in cell biology and genetics and holds several reporting awards in health and tech.
