From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised the alarm over the increasing rate of irrational use of antibiotics which could further accelerate the process of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) leading to avoidable deaths.
A statement from NAFDAC indicated that its Director General, Mojisola Adeyeye, raised the alarm at the virtual 2021 World Antimicrobial Resistance Week with the theme, ‘Spread Awareness Stop Resistance’, and lamented that the emergence and spread of drug-resistant pathogens continues to weaken the health systems.
Adeyeye registered her concerns that if the situation is allowed to fester, it could worsen and lead to unexpected deaths.
She was happy the menace and war against AMR has gone beyond local struggle and had gained prominent and global attention, and had also became a significant battle that the human race must win.
She said: “We are using the stakeholders’ meeting to target professionals in the healthcare sector, veterinarians, animal husbandry professionals in livestock production, plant pathologists and individuals that use antimicrobial agents.
“Awareness creation is a major step in AMR stewardship by relevant stakeholders to effectively stop resistance. The step is unique and is expected, not only to redirect our way of handling and use of antimicrobial agents, but also to yield a significant reduction in the incidence of AMR.”
The NAFDAC boss solicited the support of all stakeholders, insisting the fight against AMR requires collective efforts that are interlinked and interphase along the one-health concept.
She disclosed NAFDAC, in its regulatory activities, has put in place some important regulatory measures to curb the emergence and spread of AMR.
“This is very necessary and extremely important to ensure food safety and food security, a safe environment, and a healthy citizen in our dear country,’’ she said, adding that everyone in the healthcare, livestock production and environmental management sub-sectors of the economy is directly or indirectly involved in curbing AMR.
Adeyeye, however, reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment in ensuring only safe and wholesome food, drugs, and other regulated products are available to Nigerians.