A Professor of Veterinary Microbiology at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, has sounded a serious warning about the growing threat of antibiotic resistance in Nigeria, describing it as a significant public health concern.
Professor Ndubueze Amaechi, while delivering the university's 59th Inaugural Lecture, emphasized that diseases are developing increasingly complex mechanisms against drugs, making infections harder to treat in both humans and animals.
"Microbial communities have become hard to eradicate from their hosts in the bodies of humans and animals because of the complex mechanisms developed by the microbes," Professor Amaechi stated during his presentation.
The professor highlighted that Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) has emerged as a recognized global public health threat in recent years. He noted that while interventions to reduce this threat have been launched, including the introduction of drugs with novel mechanisms into the market, more comprehensive measures are needed.
Unregulated Antibiotic Use
A major concern raised by Professor Amaechi is the indiscriminate administration of antibiotics to animals by farmers, abattoir operators, and pet owners without proper veterinary supervision. This practice, he warned, poses significant threats to human health through the food chain and environmental contamination.
"Antibiotics usage must be regulated both on a local and global scale," he insisted, while also advocating for improved biosecurity measures in poultry farms and other animal husbandry operations.
The professor explained that many Nigerians might be unaware that repeated use of certain medications may yield diminishing results because microbes have developed resistance to these drugs. This phenomenon affects both human medicine and veterinary practice.
Call for Government Support
Professor Amaechi called on the Federal Government to provide increased support to researchers working on developing alternative drugs from natural medicinal plants. Such alternatives could help address the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
The lecture, which took place at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, served as a platform to raise awareness about this critical public health issue and to advocate for more responsible use of antibiotics in both human and veterinary medicine.
Health experts globally have been warning about the potential of a "post-antibiotic era" where common infections could once again become life-threatening due to antimicrobial resistance, making Professor Amaechi's warnings particularly timely for Nigeria's healthcare system.
