Antimicrobial Resistance Nigeria Sparks Urgent Health Warning

Antimicrobial Resistance Nigeria Sparks Urgent Health Warning

Antimicrobial Resistance Nigeria is battling a fast-growing superbug crisis that now kills more people than HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria combined. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has raised the alarm, calling it a “silent killer” that thrives on ignorance and misuse of antibiotics across the country.

Dr. Jide Idris, the Director General of the NCDC, sounded the alarm during a recent interview in Abuja. He described AMR as a “silent killer” that poses a serious threat to public health in Nigeria and across the globe.

“It kills more than the combination of malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS together,” Idris said. “The worst thing is that not much is known about it, especially among the public. It has become a global focus.”

Antimicrobial Resistance  happens when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites adapt and become resistant to the medicines meant to kill them. As a result, simple infections grow stronger, harder to treat, and more likely to spread. This makes routine illnesses dangerous and sometimes deadly.

What’s most troubling is that many Nigerians have never even heard of AMR. But its consequences are already showing in hospitals, clinics, and communities. It thrives in silence, growing worse because of the careless use of antibiotics in humans, animals, and farming.

Dr. Idris emphasized that AMR is no longer a distant health issue. It’s happening right now, and if nothing is done, it will spiral further out of control. He stressed that many people contribute to the problem without knowing it.

“We must act now,” he warned. “It is unacceptable that most Nigerians don’t know how dangerous AMR is.”

To fight back, the Nigerian government has begun to ramp up efforts. Dr. Idris shared that the country has updated its National Action Plan on AMR, version 2.0. This new strategy focuses on three key areas: preventing infections, using antibiotics responsibly, and ensuring enough funding to support these efforts.

He said the government was also preparing new programmes dedicated to fighting AMR. These programmes will strengthen hygiene practices in hospitals and clinics, train health workers, and set strict rules for how and when antibiotics can be used.

“AMR was supposed to be part and parcel of our current health programmes,” he explained. “We are now about to roll out specific programmes targeting AMR.”

In an effort to shine a brighter global spotlight on the problem, Nigeria will host the next Global Ministerial Conference on AMR in 2026. This major event will gather health leaders from around the world and put Nigeria at the center of international efforts to stop the crisis.

But the battle against AMR must begin at home. Dr. Idris pointed out that public education is critical. Most people still don’t know that antibiotics should only be taken when absolutely necessary, and only with a doctor’s prescription.

“In terms of awareness, it is imperative to create education for Nigerians on how dangerous AMR is,” he said. “People must stop having unnecessary access to antibiotics.”

He warned against self-prescribing drugs or buying them over the counter without professional advice. He also criticized some traditional health practices that worsen the spread of resistant infections.

Dr. Idris didn’t shy away from calling out health workers either. He said many healthcare providers in Nigeria are part of the problem. Some fail to properly assess patients before handing out antibiotics. Others rely too heavily on drugs when they aren’t needed.

“Healthcare workers are also guilty,” he said. “They often don’t take proper patient histories or make accurate diagnoses before prescribing antibiotics.”

These missteps, he added, allow AMR to spread silently. When antibiotics are misused, the microorganisms learn how to survive. They change. They become harder to kill. And with time, they evolve into superbugs that no medicine can stop.

This evolving resistance affects everyone—rich or poor, young or old. It makes simple surgeries and infections more dangerous and turns hospitals into battlegrounds. If left unchecked, it could roll back decades of progress in medicine.

Dr. Idris made it clear that AMR is not just a government issue. Every Nigerian has a role to play. From farmers using antibiotics on livestock to pharmacists selling drugs without prescriptions, all hands must be on deck.

He called for urgent changes in the way Nigerians view medicine and healthcare. The public must treat antibiotics as life-saving tools, not everyday pills. Health workers must commit to safe and smart prescribing. And the government must back these actions with funding and policies.

AMR may be silent, but it is deadly. And the longer it goes unnoticed, the worse the outcome will be. The NCDC’s call is a wake-up call—to every home, clinic, and pharmacy. Nigeria cannot afford to ignore this threat any longer.