Varsity don warns of rising deaths from antibiotic-resistant infections
By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin
A professor of Veterinary Microbiology at the University of Ilorin, Professor Mashood Raji, has warned that deaths linked to antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections could rise significantly if urgent measures are not taken to address antimicrobial resistance.
Raji said global deaths directly attributable to antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections were projected to increase from 1.27 million in 2019 to 1.91 million by 2050, adding that antimicrobial resistance could claim 39 million lives between now and 2050.
He, however, noted that more than one-third of the projected deaths could be averted if effective measures were implemented, particularly as antibiotic-resistant infections continue to pose risks to human health and food safety.
Raji stated this on Thursday while delivering the 307th inaugural lecture of the University of Ilorin, titled “Microbes: Invisible Enemies of Human and Livestock,” where he also said poultry meat and meat products could serve as sources of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella strains.
To address the threat, the don recommended the establishment and sustained operation of a coordinated national surveillance programme to monitor disease incidence, identify epidemiological risk factors and track antimicrobial resistance for timely public health interventions.
He also called for stronger collaboration among the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, and veterinary teaching hospitals to improve disease surveillance, outbreak investigation and emergency response.
Raji further urged governments, livestock producers and market associations to strengthen food safety, biosecurity and environmental sanitation through improved slaughterhouses, reliable water supply, effective waste disposal, routine inspection and compliance with food safety regulations.
He also called for increased public education on food hygiene, responsible antimicrobial use, vaccination and zoonotic disease prevention, as well as greater investment in disease surveillance, laboratory infrastructure, vaccine development and research, while urging regulatory agencies to enforce laws on veterinary drugs and impose sanctions on counterfeit and substandard products.
