By Chioma Vivian James
Health experts have urged journalists to take a leading role in raising awareness about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), warning that the growing threat of drug-resistant infections could reverse decades of medical progress and worsen Nigeria’s public health challenges if left unchecked.
The call was made during a two-day capacity-building workshop for health journalists on Antimicrobial Resistance Reporting held in Abuja. The workshop was organised by the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) in collaboration with the Nigeria AMR Media Alliance (NAMA) under the Antimicrobial Stewardship Education Programme (A-STEP).
Participants described antimicrobial resistance as a silent but rapidly expanding public health crisis that is making once-treatable infections harder, more expensive and, in some cases, impossible to cure.
Representing the Chief Executive Officer of IHVN, Dr Patrick Dakum, Senior Programme Manager for Research and Evaluation and Chair of the IHVN Ethics Committee, Dr Nnakelu Eriobu, said AMR remains one of the most serious yet least understood health threats facing Nigeria.
According to him, antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites evolve and become resistant to medicines designed to eliminate them, rendering treatments less effective.
“Many Nigerians may already be experiencing the effects of antimicrobial resistance without realising it,” Eriobu said. “People often continue taking medications without improvement and assume they need stronger drugs. In many cases, antimicrobial resistance may be the reason those medicines are no longer working.”
He noted that the impact extends beyond individual patients, affecting families, healthcare systems and the economy through prolonged illness, increased medical costs, reduced productivity and rising mortality.
“This is not simply a healthcare problem,” he stressed. “It is a social, economic and development challenge that requires urgent attention.”
Providing a global perspective, Associate Professor, Canada Research Chair in Communicable Disease Epidemiology and Co-Principal Investigator of A-STEP, Dr Giorgia Sulis, revealed that Nigeria is among the countries most affected by antimicrobial resistance.
She disclosed that Nigeria ranks 20th among 204 countries globally for AMR-related deaths and seventh in sub-Saharan Africa, underscoring the growing burden of drug-resistant infections.
Sulis explained that antimicrobial resistance develops when microbes survive exposure to antibiotics and gradually acquire mechanisms that enable them to withstand treatment.
“The more antibiotics are used, the greater the pressure placed on microbial populations,” she said. “This allows resistant organisms to survive, multiply and spread.”
While commending Nigeria for launching its National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance in 2017 and updating it subsequently, Sulis warned that weak surveillance systems continue to leave many resistant infections undetected and underreported.
As a result, she said, the true burden of AMR in the country may be significantly higher than current estimates suggest.
Describing AMR as a “slow-moving pandemic,” Sulis noted that the crisis often escapes public attention because it lacks the dramatic impact of disease outbreaks.
“AMR is a difficult story to tell because it is a slow-moving crisis,” she said. “It does not create one dramatic event that captures public attention, yet it is steadily growing in the background. Effective reporting can make this invisible issue visible and help people understand why antimicrobial resistance deserves urgent attention.”
She urged journalists to become active partners in the fight against drug resistance by producing accurate, evidence-based reports that encourage responsible antibiotic use and drive policy action.
A major concern raised during the workshop was the widespread practice of self-medication.
Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo, Canada, and Principal Investigator of the A-STEP Project, Dr Charity Oga-Omenka, revealed that studies indicate nearly 70 per cent of Nigerians obtain antibiotics without a prescription.
According to her, unrestricted access to antibiotics has fuelled a culture of self-diagnosis and inappropriate medication use.
“The public needs to understand that demanding antibiotics without a prescription may be doing more harm than good,” she said. “Everyone has a role to play—from healthcare providers and pharmacists to patients, policymakers and journalists.”
She explained that many Nigerians mistakenly assume symptoms such as fever automatically indicate malaria or bacterial infections, prompting them to purchase antibiotics without consulting qualified healthcare professionals.
The result, she said, is often inappropriate treatment, treatment failure and the emergence of drug-resistant infections.
Oga-Omenka emphasised that proper diagnosis remains one of the strongest defences against antimicrobial resistance.
“You cannot diagnose yourself with malaria or any other infection simply based on symptoms,” she said. “Several illnesses present with similar symptoms. Laboratory testing and professional medical consultation are essential for determining the correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment.”
Experts at the workshop also highlighted the need for a “One Health” approach, stressing that AMR affects not only human health but also animal health, agriculture, food production and the environment.
They warned that the widespread use of antibiotics in livestock production, environmental contamination, poor sanitation and improper disposal of medicines are contributing to the spread of resistant organisms.
The role of traditional medicine also came under discussion. While acknowledging its importance in healthcare delivery, Oga-Omenka stressed the need for scientific validation, standardisation and stronger regulatory oversight.
She expressed concern that some herbal preparations sold in local markets may contain undisclosed pharmaceutical ingredients, including antibiotics, potentially contributing to antimicrobial resistance.
Participants also called for stricter enforcement of existing regulations classifying antibiotics as prescription-only medicines, noting that such drugs remain readily available from pharmacies, patent medicine stores and informal drug vendors across the country.
Public health advocates urged regulatory agencies to strengthen oversight, improve monitoring systems and enforce laws governing antibiotic sales and distribution.
A recurring theme throughout the workshop was the critical role of the media in translating scientific evidence into public understanding.
Eriobu emphasised that scientific discoveries have little impact if they are not effectively communicated to the public.
“You can have all the science,” he said, “but if journalists are not carrying the information and disseminating it to the public, then the science is of little value.”
Similarly, Founder of the Nigeria AMR Media Alliance (NAMA), Ojoma Akor, challenged journalists to embrace evidence-based reporting that promotes accountability, drives behavioural change and supports public health interventions.
According to her, sustained media engagement is essential to raising awareness and encouraging policy reforms aimed at slowing the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Experts warned that without effective antibiotics, routine surgeries, childbirth, cancer treatment, organ transplantation and the management of common infections could become significantly more dangerous.
For Nigeria, they cautioned that continued antibiotic misuse, weak regulatory enforcement, poor public awareness and inadequate healthcare access could accelerate the spread of resistant infections and place additional strain on an already overstretched healthcare system.
Despite the scale of the challenge, participants maintained that antimicrobial resistance is not inevitable. They stressed that stronger regulation, improved surveillance, responsible antibiotic use, expanded diagnostic services, public education and coordinated action across sectors can help preserve the effectiveness of life-saving medicines.
The message from Abuja was clear: journalists have a vital role in amplifying awareness of antimicrobial resistance and mobilising action against a threat that continues to grow silently across the country.
As experts warned, the fight against antimicrobial resistance will require action from governments, healthcare professionals, researchers, regulators, farmers, journalists and citizens alike.
The silent pandemic is already here. Whether it becomes a national catastrophe depends on the decisions and actions taken today.