FG Calls AMR ‘Hidden Pandemic’, Urges Action Across Health and Agriculture

 

By Atlantic Reports

The Federal Government has described antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a “hidden pandemic”, warning that its effects extend beyond hospitals to food production, farmers’ livelihoods and environmental health.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, made the warning on Monday in Abuja at a media conference announcing the fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR, scheduled for December 6–8, 2026.

Pate said the gathering would be the first edition hosted in Africa. Its theme, “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitment through Local Action”, reflects an approach linking human, animal, agricultural and environmental health.

He said the priority was to turn international commitments into practical measures in hospitals, farms and communities.

When Treatment Fails

Pate said resistant infections could lead to prolonged illness, complications and deaths, particularly where diagnostic services and appropriate treatment were inadequate or unavailable.

He described situations in which patients received medicines without sufficient information about whether the infection would respond to them.

“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.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, cited an estimated 1.27 million deaths globally attributable to bacterial AMR in 2019. That estimate comes from research published in 2022. A separate study published in 2024 projected more than 39 million deaths attributable to bacterial AMR between 2025 and 2050, making that figure a forecast rather than a recorded toll. The Lancet

Salako also cited an estimate of about 64,500 deaths attributable to bacterial AMR in Nigeria in 2019.

He urged Nigerians to avoid indiscriminate antibiotic use and seek professional assessment before taking the medicines.

“It is not every cough that needs antibiotics. It is not every catarrh that needs antibiotics. Please consult a doctor,” he said.

He identified vaccination, handwashing, infection prevention, improved laboratory services and responsible prescribing as measures to reduce infections and unnecessary antimicrobial use.

Access to Medicines and Responsible Use

Pate said Nigeria’s response included antimicrobial stewardship, infection prevention and control, stronger laboratories and improved medicine regulation.

According to him, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had operated a stewardship programme for about two and a half years to promote appropriate antibiotic use in federal hospitals.

He said the government was working through the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other regulators to address counterfeit and substandard medicines and indiscriminate antibiotic sales.

Pate also acknowledged that many communities still lacked access to essential medicines and appropriate treatment. He said expanding access to quality antimicrobials must accompany efforts to prevent resistance.

That creates a practical challenge for implementation: ensuring patients can obtain necessary treatment while reducing inappropriate prescribing and use.

The minister acknowledged gaps in AMR surveillance, saying laboratory expansion, health worker training and infection prevention were being strengthened. His remarks did not provide figures showing how much surveillance coverage had improved or how the hospital stewardship programme had affected prescribing.

Farms, Food and the Environment

Pate warned that inappropriate or excessive antimicrobial use could undermine disease control, agricultural productivity, food safety and trade.

“Addressing AMR is therefore essential to safeguarding our food system and strengthening national resilience,” he said.

The Minister of Environment, Alhaji Balarabe Lawal, said water, soil and ecosystems were important to the response, stressing the need for sanitation and environmental hygiene.

“Let’s start from prevention first. Let’s tackle the number of diseases that force you to go and take these antibiotics,” he said.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Maiha, said widespread antibiotic use in poultry and livestock production required stronger oversight and farmer education.

Represented by Dr Abdulkareem Durosinlorun, Maiha said the ministry was promoting vaccination, hygiene and biosecurity to reduce reliance on antibiotics.

He urged farmers to use antibiotics on prescription, follow treatment instructions and observe withdrawal periods before animals or birds entered the market.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said his ministry would strengthen food safety systems, extension services and farmer education on responsible antimicrobial and agrochemical use.

Represented by Mrs Iwendi Odunola, Director of Plant Health and Pest Control Services, he also outlined plans to promote good agricultural practices, biosecurity and integrated pest management.

Commitments Await Implementation

Salako said conference participants were expected to adopt the Abuja Compact on Antimicrobial Resistance as a framework for coordinated action.

Lawal said the participating ministries would work through a joint One Health coordination mechanism and publicly report implementation progress.

The compact remains a proposed outcome of the December gathering. The announcement did not specify funding commitments, measurable national targets or a timetable for public progress reports.

Pate also said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and Port Health Services were working with the World Health Organization and other partners on border surveillance and preparedness in response to the reported Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

For the AMR campaign, the test will be how the commitments translate into reliable diagnostics, appropriate treatment, safer farming practices and improved sanitation in communities, including those with limited access to healthcare.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.