Veterinarians task practitioners on antimicrobial misuse
THE President of Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association ( NVMA), Oluwatoyin Adetunberu, has warned practitioners on misuse of antimicrobial drugs in animals and humans, describing the practice as the next epidemic waiting to strike. She said the misuse of antimicrobial drugs is capable of making the microbes develop resistance to drugs and “if care is not taking, the animal diseases may begin to enter into humans, which may be dangerous for human population.” Adetunberu, who disclosed this at the yearly leaders summit, organised by the NVMA in Abuja, said the issue of antimicrobial resistance has become a global issue and it’s important for everyone to work towards mitigating antimicrobial resistance, as it is another epidemic waiting to strike. She said: “It is the next epidemic because if the medicines don’t work the next thing is death. It is because of antimicrobial misuse that we are having antimicrobial resistance. There is need for everyone to take charge such that when prescriptions are not given, it should not be used, if the one prescribed by the doctors finishes, don’t go to the pharmacy to get another. If you feel unwell, go back to the physician for recommendation.”
The NVMA President called on farmers not to use antimicrobial as growth promoters, but use it when necessary, saying if care is not taken it could become another pandemic, which is not good for the country at this period.
While mentioning that they have been conducting advocacies at the states level to caution practitioners.
The Deputy Chip Whip of the Senate, Sebiu Abdullahi, who is also a veterinarian stated that antimicrobial affects both animals and human population and when misapplied or misused diseases tends to stay longer than expected.
He said the essence of the meeting was to caution practitioners to make sure they minimise the application of antimicrobial and weed out fake practitioners.