NCDC LAUNCHES NEW STRATEGIES TO COMBAT DRUG-RESISTANT INFECTIONS AND STRENGTHEN DISEASE DETECTION
19-10-24
By Sadiq Aminu The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has unveiled two major health strategies aimed at tackling the growing threat of drug-resistant infections and enhancing the country’s disease surveillance capabilities.
They are the National Action Plan 2.0 (NAP 2.0) for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and the National Genomic Surveillance Strategy.
Launching the strategies in Abuja on Friday, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, called on stakeholders to unite in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
He said AMR poses a serious risk to global health, food security, and economic development, with projections suggesting it could cause 10 million deaths worldwide annually by 2050.
In Nigeria alone, the Minister noted that more than 64,000 deaths were attributed to AMR in 2019.
The new five-year National Action Plan aims to build on the progress made under the first plan, which was implemented from 2017 to 2022. NAP 2.0 will focus on raising awareness, improving surveillance, and promoting the responsible use of antibiotics in both healthcare and agriculture.
Prof. Pate noted that the misuse and overuse of antibiotics are major contributors to the rise of drug-resistant infections.
Also launched was the National Genomic Surveillance Strategy, designed to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to detect and respond to infectious disease threats. Dr. Jide Idris, Director General of NCDC, explained that the strategy would help close gaps in genomic research and infrastructure, leading to better disease prevention, early detection, and targeted treatments.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Ms. Daju Kachollum, praised the NCDC, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other partners for their support in developing the new strategies, which are expected to enhance Nigeria’s health resilience and contribute to global health security.