By Becky Prevail
The Federal Government has warned that drug-resistant infections pose a growing threat to public health, as Nigeria prepares to host the Fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Abuja from December 6 to 8, 2026.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, on Monday disclosed that antimicrobial resistance was estimated to have contributed to 64,500 deaths in Nigeria in 2019, describing the challenge as a “hidden pandemic” requiring urgent and coordinated action.
The conference, themed “One Health: Advancing Global AMR Commitments to Local Action,” will bring together ministers, policymakers, health experts and development partners to strengthen global cooperation and translate existing commitments into practical interventions.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond effectively to medicines designed to treat infections, making illnesses harder to manage and increasing the risk of severe disease and death.
Pate attributed the growing threat partly to the misuse of antimicrobial medicines and gaps in infection prevention, diagnosis and disease surveillance. He called for stronger antimicrobial stewardship, improved laboratory capacity and responsible prescription practices.
He also urged Nigerians to avoid taking antibiotics without appropriate medical advice, noting that antibiotics do not treat viral infections and their misuse can accelerate drug resistance. Vaccination, early diagnosis and effective infection control, he added, are important in reducing the spread of resistant infections.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, warned that AMR could spread through environmental pathways, including farms, food systems, water, soil and waste, stressing the need for collaboration across human, animal and environmental health sectors.
“Resistance does not respect boundaries; it cuts across sectors. It moves from people to animals, from farms to food, and through water, soil and waste systems,” Lawal said.
He called for improved waste management, stronger water and sanitation systems, responsible use of antimicrobial medicines and closer coordination between health and environmental authorities.
Similarly, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the Abuja conference would enable participating countries to review progress, identify gaps in implementation and strengthen international cooperation against antimicrobial resistance.
Salako cited a 2022 study published in The Lancet, which estimated that bacterial antimicrobial resistance was directly responsible for approximately 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019. He also highlighted projections that bacterial AMR could directly cause more than 39 million deaths globally between 2025 and 2050 without effective interventions.
He said the proposed Abuja Compact would provide a framework for converting political commitments into practical measures, with clear accountability and measurable progress.
Abuja Times reports that the meeting is expected to be the first global high-level ministerial conference on antimicrobial resistance to take place on African soil, placing Nigeria at the centre of international efforts to preserve the effectiveness of existing medicines and tackle drug-resistant infections.
