Abuja, 7 April 2011 -- The Hon Minister for Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu has urged Nigerians to heed the warnings from the public health community about actions that contribute to antibiotic resistance. ‘The time to act is now to ensure a healthier and better tomorrow’, said the Minister, explaining that ‘the germs that cause disease develop a defense against our drugs because of the way we have been using them.’ This will render many of our drugs ineffective, for example those used against malaria and tuberculosis.

The theme of this year’s world health day was ‘Combat Antimicrobial Resistance ‘ a subject selected by the World Health Organization as being of global significance and requiring urgent and concerted action.

The Nigeria Country Representative for WHO, Dr David Okello, giving examples of the inappropriate use of medicines said, ‘people do not finish their course of prescribed medicine – usually because they have started feeling better. It is also inappropriate when a healthcare professional prescribes antibiotics when they are not needed, for example for the common cold, or when a person decides to diagnose and treat themselves – known as self medication. He added that unauthorized vendors of drugs also contribute to the problem.

Mr Linus Awute, the Permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Health endorsed the Minister’s call saying that ‘appropriate use of antibiotics for every Nigerian is a must.

Dr Okello, handed the Hon. Minister for health a copy of the policy guidelines being launched by the World Health Organization to mark the day. The guidelines provide a framework of actions that governments can take to reduce the development of antibiotic resistance, chief among them being to develop a national plan to combat the problem. The plan would cover strengthening of disease surveillance and diagnostic laboratory capacity; the facilitation of access to quality essential medicines; the regulation of the use of medicines and promotion of their rational use; the regulation of the use of antimicrobials in animal husbandry, prevention and control of infectious diseases and finally, recommendations for fostering innovation and development of new tools.

Also present at the meeting was Dr Suomi Sakai, the Country Representative of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Ms Agathe Lawson, Country Director of the UN population Fund, senior directors from the Ministry of Health and representatives from the pharmaceutical council of Nigeria.

The dignitaries present ended the occasion on a festive note with a cake-cutting ceremony to mark the ‘birthday’ of WHO which is the day chosen for World Health Day.

For more information please go to: http://www.who.int/world-health-day/2011

Or contact soyinkao [at] ng.afro.who.int
:: World Health Day 2011 Photo gallery