AMR: Lagos art exhibition targets public awareness, behavioural change

By David Comix

As antimicrobial resistance threatens to render life-saving medicines ineffective and make once-treatable infections harder to cure, about 15 Nigerian artists are turning to paintings, music, drama and interactive experiences to mobilise public action against the growing health threat.

The artists will showcase their works at Microbe Madness 2.0, an initiative of Art for Health Initiative scheduled for November 18 in Lagos, as part of efforts to make the dangers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) more understandable and inspire behavioural change.

The event, tagged Microbe Madness 2.0, is being organised by Art for Health Initiative in collaboration with the DRASA, Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art and BNL Healthcare. It will hold at CEP Entertainment and Media Hub, Lekki Phase 1, under the theme, “One Action for Our Future.”

The initiative comes amid growing global concerns over antimicrobial resistance, a major public health threat that occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites develop resistance to medicines designed to treat infections, making treatment increasingly difficult and, in some cases, ineffective.

The development threatens the effectiveness of essential medicines, increases the risk of complications from infections and could undermine routine medical procedures, including surgery.

Founder of Art for Health Initiative, Chidera Aneke, said the event was designed to make the AMR conversation more accessible by using creativity and storytelling to connect public health concerns with people's everyday decisions.

“Protecting the future of medicine requires a collective effort. Everyone has a role to play, and our contribution is to make health information accessible through art, creativity and innovative storytelling,” Aneke said.

She added that the organisers hoped participants would leave with practical steps they could take to help preserve the effectiveness of medicines.

“Art has a way of carrying messages across generations. We want people to enjoy the experience, connect with the stories and leave with one action they can take to protect our shared future,” she said.

The event will feature an art exhibition, animation, drama, music and interactive games designed to stimulate conversations around AMR, infection prevention and responsible medicine use.

A dedicated mental health corner will also showcase artworks produced during the organisation's “What We Carry” workshop, extending the event's engagement to emotional wellbeing.

According to the organisers, Microbe Madness is part of the initiative's sustained efforts to address AMR, one of its key public health priorities. The Lagos edition builds on the inaugural event held in Enugu in 2024.

The November 18 event coincides with the opening of World AMR Awareness Week, which runs from November 18 to 24, and comes ahead of Nigeria's hosting of the Fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR in Abuja from December 6 to 8, 2026.

The organisers said the Lagos gathering would provide an opportunity to take the AMR conversation beyond health institutions and policy discussions into the wider community, highlighting the role individuals can play in preventing infections and safeguarding the medicines needed by future generations.

Journalists, creatives, health professionals, students, community members and prospective partners have been invited to participate.