COVID-19: Expert warns against misuse of antibiotics

Aconsultant medical microbiologist with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Dr Bamidele Mutiu,has said the misuse of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to accelerated emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Antimicrobials, according to him, are medications used in fighting diseases in humans, animals and plants and they include, antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal and antiprotozoal medicines.

He stated this during the world antimicrobial resistance week organized by St Rachel Pharmaceuticals in Lagos.

He explained that antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites resist the effects of medications making common infections harder to treat, thereby increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.

He said that overuse of medicines in humans and livestock as well as poor access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene have increased the threat of antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria and the rest of the world.

Chairman of St Rachel Pharmaceuticals, Akinjide Adeosun, said 700,000 people die globally due to antimicrobial resistance. He said, without new and better treatment, an extra 10 million people could die every year by 2050.

“Nigerians should stop selfmedication, buy and take the full dose of high quality antibiotics when prescribed by doctors and dispensed by pharmacists,” he said.

Ogun State Health Commissioner Dr Tomi Coker emphasised the need to tackle indiscriminate use of antibiotics as antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria will soon be a crisis and “probably the next pandemic.”