The Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, of the United Nations, and the World Health Organization, WHO, have warned that Antimicrobial Resistant, AMR, could cause 10 million deaths yearly by 2050 if not checked.
Speaking at an event organized to create Anti-Microbial Awareness in Abuja, FAO Representative in Nigeria, Fred Kafeero, explained that the trend may force tens of millions more people into extreme poverty, hunger, malnutrition and can cripple livelihood.
Kafeero was represented by the Assistant FAO Representative Administration, David Fehintola.
According to FAO, the growing rate of antimicrobial resistance is as dangerous as the coronavirus pandemic or even worse and threatens to reverse a century of medical progress.
The FAO and WHO warned that the issue is one of the greatest health threats of our time.
For the the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, antibiotic used in agriculture has been found to be a major driver of AMR with consequences for human health, animal health, plant health and food safety.
Nanono explained that the event was to raise awareness on the health threats posed by AMR.
He said this will also promote good practices that would limit the emergence and spread of resistant infectious globally.
While noting that 700,000 die globally every year due to drug-resistant diseases, the WHO representative explained that if not addressed, drug-resistant infections could join pandemics, cardiovascular disease and cancer as a leading cause of death by 2050.
He added that the global economy may lose nearly four percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to AMR.
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The Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu who was represented by the Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Prevention and Control Programme Coordinator, Tochi Okwor, said there’s a need to optimise antimicrobial use to support animal health without negatively impacting productivity and unduly limiting access to the food supply and jeopardizing National food security.
While reiterating the need for more coordination and consolidation on efforts across all sectors, he said the emergence and spread of drug-resistant pathogens continue to threaten the ability to treat common infections.
In recent times, medicines used to treat many types of infections and diseases are no longer effective due to antimicrobial resistance.
These experts said the world is losing one of the most important pillars of modern medicine which is the ability to treat infections.
Editor: Omor Bazuaye
