Dr Akujuobi Igwe, Laboratory and Research Director at Rotan Medical Diagnostics Ltd, has called on the Federal Government to allocate dedicated funding for the routine testing of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Igwe made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, speaking on the current state of Antimicrobial Stewardship (AST) implementation in the country.
NAN reports that AST refers to coordinated efforts to promote the responsible use of antibiotics to improve patient outcomes, reduce the spread of drug-resistant infections, and preserve the effectiveness of existing treatments.
It involves proper diagnosis, appropriate prescribing, and ongoing monitoring of antibiotic use across healthcare settings.
He said this was crucial to curb rising drug resistance and prevent avoidable deaths.
He warned that without adequate investment in testing, Nigeria’s fight against AMR would remain reactive, uncoordinated, and largely ineffective.
“We cannot fight what we do not test for. Nigeria must deliberately set aside funds for routine testing of antimicrobial resistance. Without diagnostics, stewardship is blind.
“Investing in AMR testing at all levels of care, especially in laboratories, is critical to saving lives and preserving the efficacy of antibiotics,” he said.
According to him, although Nigeria has made policy-level commitments through its National Action Plan on AMR, much of the implementation, particularly in testing and stewardship, remains heavily dependent on donor funding.
He noted that most health facilities lacked functional AST teams or the diagnostic infrastructure required to guide rational antibiotic use.
“The gap fuels the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, which accelerates resistance.
“Antimicrobial stewardship is the backbone of our response to drug resistance, yet it remains one of the least funded components of healthcare in Nigeria.”
He added that global health experts had consistently warned that the misuse of antibiotics in human medicine and agriculture contributed to the global health threat of AMR.
He further said the misuse could render common infections untreatable and lead to higher mortality rates.
“According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), AMR is one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity.
“It is estimated that by 2050, AMR could claim up to 10 million lives annually if urgent action is not taken,” he said.
Igwe urged the government to mainstream AMR testing and stewardship into national health budgets, including integration into primary healthcare programmes, health insurance schemes, and hospital accreditation systems.
He also called for increased awareness, capacity building of laboratory professionals, and collaboration between public and private sectors to improve surveillance and diagnostic capacity.(NAN)
