Health experts and pharmacists have called on hospitals and healthcare centres across Nigeria to adopt more proactive measures to curb rising deaths linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), warning that the country faces a growing public health crisis driven by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics.
The call was made during the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association Antimicrobial Resistance Impact Celebration and the UK–ALF-A Fellowship Graduation held at Babcock University, Ogun State.
Speakers at the event stressed that stronger institutional commitment, improved drug management practices and sustained collaboration among healthcare stakeholders are critical to reducing AMR-related deaths in Nigeria.
According to health experts, antimicrobial resistance accounts for more than one million deaths globally each year, largely due to the inappropriate use of antimicrobial medicines and poor adherence to treatment guidelines.
Nigeria is among the countries heavily affected by the crisis, ranking 20th globally in AMR mortality.
Data presented at the event showed that the country records between 60,000 and 64,500 direct deaths annually from antimicrobial resistance, with more than 263,000 additional deaths associated with the condition, particularly among children under five.
Speaking at the event, the Registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Pharm Ibrahim Babasheu Ahmed, represented by the Director of the Council’s South-West Zonal Office, Adenike Ogunlola, described antimicrobial resistance as one of the most pressing health challenges of the present generation.
He warned that AMR poses serious threats not only to patient safety but also to food security, economic stability and the sustainability of global health systems.
“Antimicrobial resistance remains one of the most pressing health challenges of our generation. It threatens patient safety, food security, economic stability and the sustainability of our health systems. No country is immune, and no single institution can solve it alone,” he said.
The event also highlighted the importance of international collaboration through the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association, which brings together health systems, regulatory agencies, academic institutions and frontline practitioners to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship.
The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Pharm Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, commended the fellowship programme, noting that the achievements recorded by fellows across tertiary health institutions demonstrate the impact of aligning global partnerships with national health priorities.
Similarly, the Deputy Chief Medical Director of Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Titus Oyedele, described antimicrobial resistance as a borderless threat affecting hospitals, communities and health systems.
He said the response to the crisis must be collaborative, innovative and sustainable.
Oyedele also applauded the fellows who completed the programme, noting that two pharmacists from the Babcock University Teaching Hospital – Pharm Abimbola Olajide, one of the five certified fellows, and Pharm Blessing Amaike, one of the seven Substandard and Falsified Medicines champions – were among those recognised.
He said their achievement reflects both institutional commitment and professional excellence.
The event also honoured seven champions advocating against substandard and falsified medicines, whose efforts were described as critical to safeguarding public health.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and in-country technical consultant for the Commonwealth Partnership for Antimicrobial Stewardship, Pharm Mashood Lawal, urged hospitals to intensify efforts to reduce AMR mortality and preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs.
He noted that, beyond misuse, poor storage conditions and handling of medicines — often worsened by unstable electricity supply — significantly reduce drug potency.
Lawal therefore called for increased investment in reliable 24-hour electricity for laboratories and pharmaceutical storage facilities to strengthen the country’s response to antimicrobial resistance.
The gathering ended with a consensus among stakeholders that hospitals must strengthen antimicrobial stewardship, improve drug management systems and enhance surveillance in order to protect patients and preserve the effectiveness of life-saving medicines.
One of the graduating fellows, Pharm Ifeoma Obi, said the programme had renewed her professional commitment.
“It is from here to the stars,” she said.
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