Experts advise Nigerians to cut intake of antibiotics

Antibiotics are used far more in treatments, as Nigeria joins the rest of the world to observe the World Antibiotic Awareness Week, medical experts’ advise that urgent action is needed for citizens to reduce excessive intake of the medicines.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to global public health today and also that the large difference in antibiotic use worldwide indicates that some countries are probably overusing antibiotics while other countries may not have sufficient access to these life-saving medicines.

World Antibiotic Awareness Week which starts from November 12 to 18, 2018. The overall theme is “Think Twice. Seek Advice.”

“We can measured down antibiotic intake in the country by only using antibiotics when they are really needed, because the more antibiotics are used, the more chances bacteria have to become resistant to them,” said Larne Yusuf a medical practitioner in Lagos.

Yusuf says more awareness needs to be created in Nigeria to help as part of solution on preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics.

“Like every other medicine, antibiotics have the potential to cause side effects and there are best way to take antibiotics, If you are prescribed antibiotics, it is important that you follow your doctor’s advice on when, how and for how long to take them,”

“Antibiotics do not work for all infections. Most coughs and colds will get better on their own without antibiotics”.

I urge us take your antibiotics at the right time, and for as long as directed and we should don’t keep unused antibiotics for another time,” he advised.

Similarly to graze the campaign clement peter, officer in-charge WHO Nigeria country office says antibiotics are not always the answer.

“I urge all please stop the misuse of antibiotics, adding that this truly puts us all at risk of anti-microbial resistance” he said.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria (not humans or animals) become resistant to the active ingredients in these medicines. These resistant bacteria may infect humans and animals, making infections like pneumonia, tuberculosis and gonorrhoea hard to treat.

“The 2018 WAAW campaign seeks to provide greater flexibility to regions and countries to reflect their unique priorities, audiences, levels of awareness, and enabling environment for behaviour change towards handling antibiotics with care,” say WHO

The WHO has repeatedly warned the world is running out of effective antibiotics and last year urged governments and big pharma to create a new generation of drugs to fight ultra-resistant super germs.

“Overuse and misuse of antibiotics are the leading causes of antimicrobial resistance,” Suzanne Hill, head of WHO’s essential medicines unit, said in a statement.

“Without effective antibiotics and other antimicrobials, we will lose our ability to treat common infections like pneumonia,” she warned.

ANTHONIA OBOKOH