…Says Antimicrobial Resistance Leads To Preventable Deaths

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Sunday warned Nigerians against the abuse of antibiotics.

The Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye added that the over increasing rate of irrational use of antibiotics has further accelerated the process of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) leading to avoidable deaths.

She gave this warning at the virtual meeting to mark the 2021 World Antimicrobial Resistance Week (WAAW) anniversary with the theme, Spread Awareness Stop Resistance.

This was made known in a statement on Sunday made available to newsmen in Abuja by Sayo Akintola, NAFDAC’s Resident Media Consultant, quoted Prof Adeyeye as sounding a strong note of warning that if allowed to fester, antimicrobial resistance could lead to death. She added that the menace and war against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) has, not only gained prominent and global attention but, also become a significant battle that the human race must win.

 ‘’It is in view of this fact; I am delighted to be part of this battle and welcome all our esteemed stakeholders to the front line of this battle. Creating awareness amidst us all is a major step in AMR stewardship by relevant stakeholders to effectively stop resistance’’, she said, adding that the ‘’step is unique and is expected, not only to redirect our way of handling and use of antimicrobial agents, but also to yield a significant reduction in the incidence of AMR’’.  

Her words , NAFDAC is using the stakeholders’ meeting, to mark her participation in the year 2021 World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), targeting professionals in the Healthcare sector, Veterinarians, Animal Husbandry professionals in livestock production, Plant Pathologists and individuals that   use antimicrobial agents.

Prof Adeyeye expressed dismay that the development and proliferation of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), which is the ability of pathogenic microorganism to resist the effect of antimicrobial agents when used to treat internal or external infections in both human and animal population has compromised the ability of antimicrobials to effectively treat infectious diseases as expected. ‘’The emergence and spread of drug-resistant pathogens continues to weaken the health systems’’, she lamented.

The NAFDAC boss posited that the fight against AMR requires collective efforts that are interlinked and interphase along the One-Health Concept. To this end, she said NAFDAC in her regulatory activities has put in place some important regulatory measures to curb the emergence and spread of AMR.

‘’This is very necessary and extremely important to ensure food safety and food security, a safe environment, and a healthy citizen in our dear country’’, she said, adding that everyone in the healthcare, livestock production and environmental management subsectors of the economy is directly or indirectly involved in curbing AMR.

Adeyeye, however, reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to ensuring that only safe and wholesome food, drugs, and other regulated products are available to Nigerians. She said ‘’the Agency is now more dedicated to the delivery of quality services to our stakeholders thus the Agency’s slogan “customer focused…. Agency minded” which is now well entrenched in our operations’’.

In today’s NAFDAC, she said the Agency seeks to strengthen collaboration with stakeholders, sister MDAs both at State and Federal levels, toward a more effective regulation and active involvement in creating awareness about AMR, insisting that ignorant and / or non-conformance amidst professionals will be a serious setback in bringing to an end the emergence and spread of AMR.

The Agency’s stake in the protection of public health, as entrenched in NAFDAC Act Cap N1 LFN 2004, is to ensure that regulated products that are available for use are wholesome, safe and of the right quality. The Agency, in fulfilling this mandate toward combating AMR, is adding impetus to her regulatory activities through industrial outreach and collaboration with stakeholders and fostering synergy within her technical directorates to attain a seamless regulatory process and ensuring that the distribution and use of regulated products are effectively controlled through a robust Post Marketing Surveillance.

Currently, she disclosed that the Agency has, amidst other regulatory actions: reviewed the formulation of all antibiotics to prevent the excessive use of multiple Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and banned the use of Antibiotics as growth promoter in livestock and fish production.

Prof Adeyeye further explained that the Agency has banned the use of Antibiotics and gentian violet as mold inhibitor in animal feed. She said that the Agency also introduced the Mobile Authentication Service (MAS), a mechanism put in place for detecting counterfeit antibiotics by consumers while NAFDAC organised road show campaign and public enlightenment on the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents to promote safe and judicious use of antibiotics.

NAFDAC DG said,c several factors have perpetuated the accelerated AMR occurrence; they contribute in various ways to the problem. She noted that misuse resulting from overuse and underuse of antimicrobial agents have been identified as main causes and implicated in the increasing trend of resistant pathogens in both human and animal populations.

‘’Consequently, minimizing the emergence and spread of AMR requires a coordinated, focused multi-sectorial and multinational effort’’, she said.

Says, It’s A Variant Of Concern

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday revealed a new COVID-19 variant called Omicron.

This, according to a statement by the UN agency hinted that the B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to WHO from South Africa on 24 November 2021 and classified it a variant of concern.

The statement read in parts; “The epidemiological situation in South Africa has been characterised by three distinct peaks in reported cases, the latest of which was predominantly the Delta variant.

“In recent weeks, infections have increased steeply, coinciding with the detection of B.1.1.529 variant.

“The first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on 9 November 2021.”

WHO said that , the variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning. preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant, as compared to other variants of concern (VOCs).

The statement said , the Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) was convened on 26 November 2021 to assess the SARS-CoV-2 variant: B.1.1.529.

The TAG-VE is an independent group of experts that periodically monitors and evaluates the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and assesses if specific mutations and combinations of mutations alter the behaviour of the virus.

WHO said there are a number of studies underway and the TAG-VE would continue to evaluate this variant. WHO will communicate new findings with Member States and to the public as needed.

It said based on the evidence presented indicative of a detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, the TAG-VE has advised WHO that this variant should be designated as a VOC, and the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a VOC, named Omicron.

As such, countries are asked to enhance surveillance and sequencing efforts to better understand circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, submit complete genome sequences and associated metadata to a publicly available database, such as GISAID, report initial cases/clusters associated with VOC infection to WHO through the IHR mechanism and where capacity exists and in coordination with the international community, perform field investigations and laboratory assessments to improve understanding of the potential impacts of the VOC on COVID-19 epidemiology, severity, effectiveness of public health and social measures, diagnostic methods, immune responses, antibody neutralization, or other relevant characteristics.

WHO also caution individuals to take measures to reduce their risk of COVID-19, including proven public health and social measures such as wearing well-fitting masks, hand hygiene, physical distancing, improving ventilation of indoor spaces, avoiding crowded spaces, and getting vaccinated.

The Head of Communications Unit, World Health Organization (WHO) , Ms Charity Warigon has commended Association of Nigeria Health Journalists (ANHEJ) for proven to be highly professional by rising to the test of the COVID-19 hesitancy by educating, mobilizing, and creating awareness amongst the populace.

She said that, journalists covering health beats proved their capability and have done an invaluable work over the years and made the difference in helping people make informed decisions and positive choices to promote their health.

Warigon gave this commendation in her goodwill message at the 2nd Annual Conference of ANHEJ on Thursday in Keffi, adding that the theme, “Improving confidence in COVID-19 Vaccine” is timely and apt, as it not only speaks to the present, but also to the future of making Nigerians healthier.

She said; “Journalists can only improve on what we have achieved so far and even do better, as there is so much to attain in driving confidence in the vaccination effort by building trust and continuously being a trusted and reliable source.

“The COVID-19 pandemic, unlike any pandemic in history, has affected everyone and every country in a manner unexpected, although there had been calls and available support to nations to build their health systems and security in preparation for future outbreaks.

“In the earlier phases of the pandemic, there was absence of sufficient knowledge to inform development of vaccines as the sciences were limited, which were exploited by mischief makers, through what we call, infodemics”.

She continued; “If we are to build and/or maintain trust, this noble group and profession is one out of a few that have historically been proven to be trusted to provide information that shape the behavior and lives of generations of peoples the world over.

“The media and journalists are the bridge between scientists and the public. It behoves on every member of the Fourth Realm of the Estate to, as social responsibility, ensure the provision of accurate, timely, credible, understandable, relevant, and actionable information through various communication channels.

“Our messaging must continue to remind the public that, for the foreseeable future, we must continue to wear masks, physically distance, and avoid crowd. Being vaccinated doesn’t mean that we can throw caution to the wind and put ourselves and others at risk: relaxing public health and social measures interventions should be done cautiously and with careful attention paid to those who remain unvaccinated.

“On its part, WHO remains resolute in sustaining this mutually beneficial partnership with AHNEJ, towards promoting health and wellbeing, keeping the world safe and serving the vulnerable, to achieve Universal Health Coverage and ensure that no one is left behind”, she stressed.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of Nigeria Union or Journalists (NUJ) FCT Chapter, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche lamented that the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) and Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) who are supposed to drive the conference are not actively involved but left it for international organisations.

He affirmed that there is vaccines resistance in Nigeria, this is due to religious, ethnic and political factors.

He, however, charged journalists to work the talk, we must be seen to believe what we preach this will encourage people to get vaccinated.

Similarly, the ANHEJ Board Chairman, Mr Godwin Odemijie charge journalists to focus on issues of mental health, saying, this is affecting many people now.

He also called on journalists to do more of investigative and Human angle stories.

Meanwhile, the President of ANHEJ, Mr. Hassan Zaggi said lack of interest by many Nigerians to receive the COVID-19 vaccine cuts across both the educated and the uneducated, the rich and the poor in different parts of the country.

He said that, the apathy in the uptake the COVID-19 vaccine by our people, the outright lies and falsehood being spread by enemies of the country concerning the vaccine is the reason we are here today.

His words; “In the next two days, we will channel our energy towards finding workable strategies on how health journalists can convince Nigerians to take the COVID-19 vaccines.

“Together with our senior colleagues and development partners, we will explore new approaches to overcome and silent the many falsehood being spread about the COVID-19 vaccine.”

The Executive Director, National Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib on Wednesday hinted that over 80 percent of deaths recorded from COVID-19 infection in recent times were those who did not take the vaccine jab.

He gave the hint while speaking at sensitization meeting with the leadership of the National Association Nigerian Students in Abuja.

Shuaib noted that evidence before the agency showed that most of the deaths resulting from COVID-19 infection were caused by non vaccination.

He stated that COVID-19 vaccines being administered in the country has proven to be safe and efficacious, adding that six million Nigerians have been vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines without any adverse effect.

He said ; “Over 80 percent of those that died due to COVID-19 were those who were not vaccinated. What the data is showing us is that over 80 percent of those people who have died of COVID-19 in Nigeria were those who were unvaccinated”.

This means that 8 out 10 who becomes sick with COVID-19 could die because they were unvaccinated, along with whatever comorbidities they have.

“So we have proof that COVID-19 vaccines actually work, adding that all the insinuations that anyone who takes the vaccine will fall down and die are false and should be discontenanced,” he said.

He said the meeting with the NANS leadership as an exceptional opportunity to partner with the youths of the country that are referred to as the future generation.

He said the agency had in the last few months been engaging in one way or the other with the Association of Nigerian students.

Shuaib said that the key message for all Nigerians’ is the need for us to ramp up vaccination so that we can go back to our normal ways of lives and of doing business.

He said, “In the last couple of months over six million Nigerians have been vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccines. Surely six million Nigerians cannot be wrong, these vaccines is having been proven by these individuals, their family members, friends, co- workers and neighbours to be safe, they are living examples of what we have been talking about in the last months that these vaccines are safe.”

Earlier , the NANS President, Mr. Sunday Dayo stated that, “The NANS leadership after wide consultation with all rank and file including stakeholders and experts in the health sector along side our independent survey and investigation on the vaccination of citizens exercise embarked on by National Primary Health Care Development Agency, we wish to announce the safety of this vaccine for all Nigerians and Nigerian students in particular, to demonstrate acceptance and endorsement of this vaccine for all in line with this resolution , my humble self as National President along side Senate President, National Executive Council Members and members of the National Secretariat of NANS shall be taking our first jab today”.