Health experts have called for urgent improvements in Nigeria’s laboratory infrastructure and stricter adherence to prescription guidelines to tackle the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.
The call was made during an antimicrobial resistance impact event and the graduation of fellows from the UK–Africa Leadership Fellowship in Antimicrobial Stewardship held at Babcock University in Ilisan Remo, Ogun State.
Five fellows recently completed the one-year training programme, drawn from University College Hospital Ibadan, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and Babcock University Teaching Hospital.
Speaking at the event, clinical pharmacist Moshood Lawal said effective antimicrobial stewardship cannot succeed without functional laboratories capable of providing accurate diagnostic support for treatment decisions.
He noted that many laboratories across Nigeria struggle with inadequate equipment and unreliable electricity supply, making it difficult to conduct essential tests before prescribing antimicrobial drugs.
Lawal also warned against the misuse of antimicrobial medicines, noting that many people take antibiotics without prescriptions or fail to follow dosage instructions, practices that accelerate drug resistance.
He therefore called for greater investment in modern laboratories and reliable power supply to ensure uninterrupted medical testing.
Lawal added that the Commonwealth Partnership for Antimicrobial Stewardship programme under the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association focuses on strengthening pharmacists’ capacity to promote responsible antimicrobial use in hospitals.
Chairman of the occasion and Chief Medical Director of Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Titus Oyedele, described antimicrobial resistance as a major global health threat and stressed the need for stronger collaboration to address it.
Also speaking, Registrar of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Ibrahim Ahmed, represented by Adenike Ogunlola, and the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Aruba Ibrahim, highlighted the importance of partnerships in strengthening healthcare delivery and promoting responsible drug use.
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