NCDC, SAYS IT WILL ENSURE STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE SECOND NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE 04-03-25
By Sadiq Aminu The National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, says it will work with regulatory bodies to ensure strict adherence to the the Second National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, AMR, which focuses on improving stewardship, enhancing surveillance, promoting research and strengthening healthcare systems.
The National focal Person for human health on antimicrobial resistance and Program Manager at NCDC, Dr. Ridwan Yahaya stated this in Abuja at a training on the Surveillance and Prescription Support for Antimicrobial Stewardship.
Dr. Yahaya who said AMR was a threat to humans and animals, emphasized the need to return to the principle of dispensing antibiotics only with a prescription, both in hospitals and community pharmacies.
“We should go back to the principle of dispensing. Because if we look at the the national policy on drug use and antibiotics, no pharmacist is expected to dispense antimicrobials without prescription, whether in the hospital or in the community. So we are working with relevant authorities to see that more awareness is created and laws are well enforced to ensure compliance.”
The Chairman, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Alhaja Wosilat Giwa maintained that more awareness should be created among community pharmacists and proprietary medicine vendors on the rational use of antimicrobial drugs to ensure compliance with laws.
“There is need for accurate data collection, You need to showcase your work and document properly so that we can make progress. If we do all this, we will be better prepared to use medicines and to find resistance. We all know that carelessness in some of our antimicrobial space, the way we use them, the way we address them, and the way we don’t do enforcement, has to reduce the loss of life, and this with this strong key holders, stakeholders and committed individuals. When we carry it out, we can do things better.”
Two Participants, Prof. Samuel Taiwa from Lautech Teaching Hospital, Oyo state and Ms. Bilkisu Ibrahim from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi state, said they had been equipped with so much knowledge and would educate patients and health professionals on the consumption of antimicrobial drugs.
AMR occurs when germs such as bacteria, virus, or fungus that cause infections resist the effects of the medicines used to treat them.