Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has raised the alarm over the growing threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), describing it as a ‘silent killer,’ deadlier than malaria, tuberculosis (TB), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) combined.
The Director General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, who stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja, also highlighted the urgent need to tackle the global health threat, which many Nigerians remained unaware of.
Idris said: “AMR is a silent killer. It kills more than the combination of malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS together. The worst thing is that not much is known about it, especially among the public. It has become a global focus.
“AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to resist the effects of medications—making common infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.
“This resistance, while naturally occurring, is significantly accelerated by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents in humans, animals, and agriculture.
“It is unacceptable that most Nigerians don’t know how dangerous AMR is; we must act now,” the DG said.
He said that the federal government had stepped up its response and that the country was already working on implementing its National Action Plan on AMR 2.0, which has strategic pillars, including Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), antimicrobial stewardship, and financing.
“AMR was supposed to be part and parcel of our current health programmes. We are now about to roll out specific programmes targeting AMR.
“These efforts will include IPC, antimicrobial stewardship, and sustainable financing—these are critical areas we’re looking at,” he added.
Idris also announced that Nigeria was set to host the next Global Ministerial Conference on AMR in 2026, a landmark event that would bring global attention to the issue.
The NCDC boss also highlighted the importance of awareness, particularly among the public and healthcare providers, to stop the rampant misuse of antibiotics in the country.
“In terms of awareness, it is imperative to create education for Nigerians on how dangerous AMR is. People must stop having unnecessary access to antibiotics.
“If you must take antibiotics, it must be based on the prescription of a licensed doctor. People should not be going to buy over-the-counter antibiotics. People should stop prescribing antibiotics for themselves,” he said.
He decried some of the harmful cultural practices and healthcare habits in Nigeria that contributed to the worsening AMR crisis.
According to him, healthcare workers are also guilty. They often don’t take proper patient histories or make accurate diagnoses before prescribing antibiotics. Many times, those patients don’t even need the drugs.