Nigeria traces 64,000 deaths to antimicrobial resistance – Minister

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), a situation where infections become harder to treat as microbes evolve to resist drugs, can be linked to more than 64,000 deaths in Nigeria in 2019.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, said these deaths occurred at a time when only 42.7 per cent of the entire population had access to healthcare.

Mr Pate disclosed that a situation analysis on AMR found that it is predominant not only among the country’s population but also among animals, crop-sourced food, and the environment.

He said this in Abuja on Friday during the “National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) 2.0” launch.

The event was organised by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare

Mr Pate described antimicrobial resistance as a threat growing at an alarming rate and endangering decades of medical progress.

“AMR threatens the very foundation of modern medicine, rendering routine procedures, surgeries, and treatments less effective, and at times, ineffective,” he said.

According to the Minister, by 2050, AMR could cause 10 million deaths annually if necessary actions are not taken.

Mr Pate said AMR, unaddressed, can surpass cancer as a leading cause of mortality globally.

“The economic consequences are equally dire, with projections estimating global losses of over $100 trillion.”

AMR occurs when microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve and develop the ability to survive treatments that once killed them or inhibited their growth.

This makes infections harder to treat, leading to prolonged illness, increased medical costs, and a higher risk of death.

Causes of AMR

AMR, according to health officials, is driven by the overuse and misuse of antimicrobial drugs in humans, animals, and agriculture.

In healthcare, inappropriate prescription or incomplete treatment courses can contribute to resistance. In livestock farming, antibiotics are often used not just for treating illness but also to promote growth, which further fuels resistance.

According to this study, microorganisms can spread between humans, animals, and the environment, making AMR a global public health challenge.

To improve 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 resolve to meet these challenges head-on. It is rooted in some strategic objectives that will guide our efforts over the next five years”.

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Implementation plan

According to the Co-chair of the AMR technical working group, Kabir Junaid, the adoption of the document is crucial as it will direct the country on what it should focus on addressing anti-microbial resistance.

Mr Junaid said the new action plan is rooted in six key strategic objectives, which involve strengthening leadership and surveillance systems, improving public awareness, implementing infection prevention and control programmes, access to quality microbials, and increasing the knowledge capacity of relevant stakeholders.

He also said the implementation of the key strategic objectives and achieving the goals stated that the revised action plan will cost a total sum of $77,633. This is N127 million in naira based on the current exchange rate of an average of N1,600 to a dollar.

He said: “The inappropriate use and abuse of antimicrobials poses a significant threat to public health, driving the spread and dissemination of AMR.

“To combat this, a comprehensive strategy is imperative, involving prescribers, producers, and patients in safeguarding the effectiveness of antimicrobials.

“This requires the provision of knowledge, guidelines, and tools for proper antimicrobial use in both humans and animals”.

Genomic surveillance strategy

At the event, the Ministry also launched the Nigerian 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 healthcare professionals understand the genetic makeup of organisms, enabling them to discover how genes influence traits, health, diseases, and responses to treatments.

According to the Director of the Centre 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 breakthroughs in genomics.

He said genomics can help with addressing the country’s challenges while also serving as a catalyst for national development.

But Nigeria, he said, is yet to tap into the use of genome resources to advance healthcare and health system development.

He said: “Genomics can help to solve this in terms of early diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prevention, and even cure.

“We also need to come up with things similar to the UK Biobank and Genome International of the US.”

He recommended the establishment of an agency focused on genomes, such as “the Genome Nigeria or the National Genome Project.”

He said: “In Africa, the medications we use, prevention devices, for diagnosis, for treatment, and for rehabilitation are often from outside the continent.

“Ninety-nine per cent of them are from outside Africa; only one per cent is within 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 collect these raw materials, bio-samples, and using data science, transform them into novel discoveries”.