Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a situation in which infections become more difficult to treat as microbes evolve to resist drugs, can be linked to more than 64,000 deaths in Nigeria in 2019.
Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Pate said these deaths occurred at a time when only 42.7 percent of the entire population had access to medical care.
Pate revealed that an analysis of the situation on antimicrobial resistance found that it is predominant not only among the country's population but also among animals, cropped foods and the environment.
He said this in Abuja on Friday during the launch of the “National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) 2.0”.
The event was organized by the Nigerian Center for Disease Control in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Pate described antimicrobial resistance as a threat that is growing at an alarming rate and endangering decades of medical progress.
“Antimicrobial resistance threatens the very foundations of modern medicine, making routine procedures, surgeries and treatments less effective and sometimes ineffective,” he said.
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According to the Minister, by 2050 antimicrobial resistance could cause 10 million deaths a year if the necessary measures are not taken.
Pate said AMR, if left unaddressed, could overtake cancer as the leading cause of mortality globally.
“The economic consequences are equally dire, with projections estimating global losses of more than $100 trillion.”
AMR occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve and develop the ability to survive treatments that once killed them or inhibited their growth.
This makes infections more difficult to treat, leading to prolonged illness, higher medical costs, and a higher risk of death.
Causes of RAM
Antimicrobial resistance, according to health officials, is due to the overuse and misuse of antimicrobial drugs in humans, animals and agriculture.
In the healthcare sector, inappropriate prescribing or incomplete treatments can contribute to resistance. In livestock farming, antibiotics are often used not only to treat diseases but also to promote growth, which further fuels resistance.
According to this study, microorganisms can spread between humans, animals and the environment, making antimicrobial resistance a global public health challenge.
To enhance the national effort to control the impact of AMR, the ministry launched the AMR NAP 2.0, which is a revision of the national action plan on AMR adopted in 2017.
The minister said: “This revised action plan reflects our determination to meet these challenges head-on. It is based on some strategic objectives that will guide our efforts over the next five years.”
READ ALSO: Antimicrobial resistance threatens to reverse medical advances and push millions into poverty – NCDC
Implementation plan
According to the co-chair of the technical working group on antimicrobial resistance, Kabir Junaid, the adoption of the document is crucial as it will guide the country on what it needs to focus on to address antimicrobial resistance.
Junaid said the new action plan is based on six key strategic objectives, which involve strengthening leadership and surveillance systems, improving public awareness, implementing infection prevention and control programs, access to quality microbes and increasing capacity knowledge of relevant stakeholders.
He also said that the implementation of key strategic objectives and achievement of targets indicated that the revised action plan will cost a total sum of $77,633. This is 127 million naira based on the current exchange rate of an average of 1,600 naira to the dollar.
He said: “The misuse and abuse of antimicrobials pose a significant threat to public health, driving the spread and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance.
“To combat this, a comprehensive strategy involving prescribers, producers and patients is imperative to safeguard the effectiveness of antimicrobials.
“This requires the provision of knowledge, guidelines and tools for the appropriate use of antimicrobials in both humans and animals.”
Genomic surveillance strategy
At the event, the Ministry also launched Nigeria's National Genomic Surveillance Strategy.
Genomic resources refer to the collection of data, tools, databases and technologies used to study and interpret the genomes of organisms, including humans.
These resources help scientists and health professionals understand the genetic makeup of organisms, allowing them to discover how genes influence traits, health, diseases, and responses to treatments.
According to the director of the Center for Genomics and Precision Medicine at the University of Ibadan, Mayowa Owolabi, if a cure is ever found for incurable diseases such as cancer, hypertension or diabetes, it will almost certainly come from advances in genomics.
He said genomics can help address the country's challenges while serving as a catalyst for national development.
But Nigeria, he said, is yet to harness the use of genomic resources to advance healthcare and health system development.
He said: “Genomics can help solve this in terms of early diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prevention and even cure.
“We also need to create things similar to the UK Biobank and Genome International in the US.”
He recommended the establishment of an agency focused on genomes, such as “Genome Nigeria or the National Genome Project.”
He said: “In Africa, the medicines we use, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation devices often come from outside the continent.
“Ninety-nine percent of them are from outside Africa; only one percent is in, but Africa has the richest genomic resource because Africa is the cradle of humanity, genetically.
“So what's happening is that a lot of other stakeholders know the value of this, and so they're collecting these raw materials, biological samples, and using data science, transforming them into novel discoveries.”