L-R: Senior Counsellor, Food and Agriculture, Royal Danish Consulate General in Lagos, Ms Sanne Chipeta, Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, and the Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens Ole Bach Hansen during the two-day workshop to celebrate the 2024 World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) titled; Educate. Advocate. Act Now, in Lagos.
By Mark Mayah
Towards an effort to combat the global health crisis posed by Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in partnership with the Danish Embassy, hosted a stakeholders’ workshop in Lagos as part of activities marking the 2024 World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW).
Themed “Educate. Advocate. Act Now,” the two-day workshop emphasized the urgent need to tackle AMR, described by NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, as the “Silent Pandemic” threatening decades of medical progress.
The NAFDAC boss raised the alarm over rising resistance to antimicrobials, particularly in Nigerian teaching hospitals, where newborns are increasingly impacted. She warned that infections once easily treatable now defy interventions, putting humans, animals, and the environment at risk.
This was contained in a statement signed by Mr. Sayo Akintola, Resident Media Consultant, NAFDAC which was made available to newsmen on Sunday in Lagos.
In response, NAFDAC has rolled out a series of regulatory measures, including:
*Reformulating Antibiotics: Restricting formulations to a maximum of two active pharmaceutical ingredients to curb misuse.
*Curbing Antibiotics in Livestock: Promoting alternatives such as probiotics and organic acids to discourage the use of antibiotics as growth promoters.
*Restricting Colistin Use: Educating livestock farmers on alternatives to colistin, now a critical drug for treating multidrug-resistant infections in humans.
*Safer Animal Feed Practices: Advocating for the use of organic acids to inhibit mould growth in feed, minimizing antibiotic misuse.
Curbing Antibiotics in Livestock: Promoting alternatives such as probiotics and organic acids to discourage the use of antibiotics as growth promoters.
Restricting Colistin Use: Educating livestock farmers on alternatives to colistin, now a critical drug for treating multidrug-resistant infections in humans.
NAFDAC has also strengthened partnerships with local and international stakeholders, including the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), WHO, and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, among others. The agency’s One Health approach addresses AMR across sectors, from human healthcare to agriculture and environmental management.
Danish Ambassador Jens Ole Bach Hansen praised the collaboration, describing AMR as a significant global health challenge. He reaffirmed Denmark’s commitment to supporting Nigeria through capacity building and knowledge transfer in food safety, livestock management, and disease control.
Highlighting outcomes from the 79th UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AMR, Prof. Adeyeye noted commitments to reduce AMR-associated deaths by 10% by 2030 and ensure 90% of countries meet WHO standards for infection prevention and control.
Prof. Adeyeye urged stakeholders across sectors to champion responsible antimicrobial use. “Together, we must act decisively to preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials, protect global health, and secure a safer future for all,” she said.
She said awareness would be increased about antibiotic stewardship, meaning if you are a pharmacist or a doctor what is the counselling that you give patients? For veterinarians, you must be cautious of the type of antibiotics you prescribe to livestock farmers.
Prof. Adeyeye emphasised the need for all key stakeholders to cooperate, to collaborate and start accumulating data in terms of AMR.,
We are stepping it up in terms of monitoring our Adverse Drug Effect reports. It is going to be a new era for us in order to have data, in order to prevent people using antibiotics carelessly, she said.
The workshop concluded with a renewed pledge to intensify advocacy, strengthen AMR monitoring, and promote sustainable practices to mitigate this growing health crisis.
She said that the Agency also gathers surveillance data on AMR trends to develop policy with global standards through international collaboration, stressing that the initiatives are crucial to preserving the effectiveness of antimicrobials agents and protecting public health.
She further explained that NAFDAC is very proactive in educating farmers and in suggesting alternatives to farmers, adding that for pharmacists, retailers, we are going to educate our colleagues not sell antibiotics to just anybody.
The Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens Ole Bach Hansen, pledged his country’s continued support for NAFDAC to combat AMR which he described as a global health challenge.
The ambassador of Denmark noted with dismay that it is one of the major causes of death around the world and therefore recognised as one of the global public health challenges which requires global solutions.
He described as heartwarming the mutually beneficial relationship between NAFDAC and the Danish Veterinary and Food Agency and Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries.
He said the collaboration runs through strategic sectoral cooperation SSC and focuses on capacity development and transfer of experiences between authorities on matters of food safety and sustainable livestock production, adding that the partners have agreed to collaborate particularly in three areas – Food and Feed safety Animal identification and Disease control and prudent use of Veterinary drugs.
According to the envoy, the collaboration is complemented by a learning programme by the Danish Fellowship Centre where NAFDAC regulatory officers are trained on food safety, disease control and One Health approach. He said, The Danish partnership is particularly concerned with the transfer of knowledge and experience with regards to combating the spread of AMR in Nigeria.
