64,500 Nigerians died from antimicrobial resistance -- Pate

As 264,300 other deaths linked to drug resistant infections

By Admin

An estimated 64,500 Nigerians died from causes directly attributable to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in 2019, while another 263,400 deaths were associated with drug resistant infections, raising concerns about the country's capacity to contain infections that no longer respond to treatment.

The figures, based on estimates published in The Lancet, were highlighted by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, who described AMR as a “hidden pandemic” and acknowledged gaps in Nigeria's surveillance systems.

Pate spoke on Monday at a joint ministerial briefing in Abuja ahead of the fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance, scheduled for December 6 to 8. Nigeria will host the conference for the first time on African soil.

The challenge, he said, is already evident in hospitals, where patients with infections such as pneumonia may fail to respond to multiple antibiotics, prolonging illness and increasing the risk of complications or death.

“In some places, without proper knowledge of the sensitivity to the antimicrobial being used, individuals may suffer much longer than they should, and some may have complications or lose their lives,” he said.

Pate admitted that weaknesses in surveillance made it difficult to establish the full extent of AMR in Nigeria, underscoring the need for better diagnosis, infection prevention and responsible use of antibiotics.

The government, he said, is strengthening antimicrobial stewardship in federal hospitals, expanding diagnostic capacity and tightening regulation to curb counterfeit and substandard medicines. It is also seeking to increase local production of quality antimicrobials.

But Pate warned that inappropriate antibiotic use in livestock production could accelerate resistance and threaten human health, while agriculture, water, waste and other environmental systems contribute to its spread.

The ministers of health, agriculture, livestock development and environment are therefore pursuing a joint One Health approach, with plans for a coordination mechanism to continue beyond the December conference.

The meeting is expected to produce the proposed Abuja Compact on Antimicrobial Resistance, backed by a tracking mechanism intended to measure progress and translate international commitments into practical action.

Globally, bacterial AMR was directly responsible for an estimated 1.27 million deaths in 2019, while 4.95 million deaths were associated with bacterial resistance. Without effective intervention, more than 39 million deaths could be directly attributable to AMR worldwide between 2025 and 2050, the ministerial statement warned.

For Nigeria, the December conference presents an opportunity to move beyond declarations towards stronger surveillance, better antimicrobial use and measurable improvements in the prevention and treatment of resistant infections.

The conference theme is “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitments to Local Action.”