By Faith Adama
Medical experts have sounded the alarm on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), describing it as a “silent pandemic” threatening public health, economic stability, and food security worldwide.
At a workshop in Owerri themed “Educate, Advocate, Act Now,” stakeholders emphasized the urgent need for global action to curb this growing crisis.
Chukwuemeka Paschal, the convener, highlighted AMR’s devastating impact, warning, “This silent pandemic undermines modern medicine, leaving even common infections untreatable.
It threatens healthcare, food security, and environmental sustainability.” He called for unity among stakeholders to “educate, advocate, and act now to safeguard the future.”
Abujah Racheal, a resource person, painted a grim picture of AMR’s toll, revealing that over 1.27 million deaths annually are directly linked to resistant infections, with 4.95 million deaths associated globally.
Nigeria faces a rising tide of drug-resistant malaria, tuberculosis, and bacterial infections, leaving healthcare providers increasingly powerless.
“Imagine losing a child to a once-treatable infection or battling untreatable tuberculosis. These aren’t hypotheticals—they’re today’s reality,” Abujah said.
She blamed public ignorance and the misuse of antibiotics for worsening the crisis, urging Nigerians to abandon self-medication and antibiotic overuse.
Ridwan Yahaya, Antimicrobial Stewardship Manager at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), stressed the role of journalism in tackling AMR.
“Approximately 200,000 Nigerian newborns die yearly from AMR complications. Journalists must advocate, educate, and mobilize action to combat this threat,” he said.
The workshop also explored the role of media in driving behavioral change. Olayinka Umar Farouk of Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria urged journalists to become agents of change.
“Effective reporting can shape public behavior and foster accountability,” he noted.
Participants left with a resounding call for collaboration across healthcare, agriculture, education, and media sectors to combat AMR.
Experts agree: the time to act is now, before this silent killer renders lifesaving medicines obsolete.
