A medical expert, Dr Ayodele Majekodunmi, has called on the government to generate data to enable the country to properly address the issue of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
Majekodunmi, who is the National Coordinator, Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases Food and Agriculture Organisation, United Nations, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the Step-Down Training programme on Media-EIS tracks and AMR.
The training was for members of the Association of Nigeria Health Journalists (ANHEJ).
“It is very important to invest in getting a MRI data; for example, do we know the total weight of antimicrobials used in Nigeria?
“Do we have data from NAFDAC? From the pharmaceutical industry on how much are we producing? How much are we importing? How is it being used?
“We also look at the patterns of use what are the reasons that make people use antimicrobials; what are the reasons why they use them correctly or incorrectly?
According to her, the data will be used for decision making from the highest to the lowest level of government.
She said that data would enable the government to know what it was dealing with; where the problems are and what was contributing the most to the problems so that they can put the most attention there.
Majekodunmi said that AMR occurred when viruses, fungi, bacteria or parasites adapted over time and stop responding to antimicrobials, making infections more difficult to treat.
She said that it affected microbial pathogens of humans, animals and plants.
“AMR is propagated by overuse antimicrobial medicines, misuse of antimicrobial medicines and inadequate hygiene, preventive care poor-quality medicines,” she said.
The coordinator said that globally 4.95 million deaths associated with AMR; 1.27 million directly attributed to AMR.
According to her, it is expected to double to 10 million deaths a year by 2050.
She said that Nigeria was the 19th highest AMR related mortality out of 204 countries surveyed
“There are 263, 400 deaths associated with AMR; 64,500 deaths directly attributed to AMR and 100 trillion dollars losses to global economy currently.
“There will be 3.8 per cent reduction in GDP and 3.8 per cent reduction in livestock numbers by 2050,’’ she said.
Majekodunmi said that common multi- drug resistant bacteria in humans were staphylococcus aureus, escherichia coli, enterococcus faecium,, streptococcus pneumonia, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, malaria, tuberculosis and HIV.
According to her, it is illegal to use antibiotics for growth promotion in many countries including Nigeria.
In his speech, Mr Joseph Kadiri, President, ANHEJ, said that the training would build the capacity of members and equip them with current trend of AMR cases.
Kadiri said that the capacity building would enable the journalists to pass accurate information on AMR to the public.
NAN
