Abuja – The Director-General, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs Dupe Atoki, said on Thursday in Abuja that the misuse of antibiotics could cause failure of medical interventions such as organ transplant and surgery.
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
at a stakeholders’ workshop to mark the 2016 World Consumer Rights Day, Atoki also said that the misuse of the drugs could lead to the failure of other forms of treatment requiring follow-up actions with antibiotics to ensure full recovery of patients.
The director-general explained that such failures were often caused by the body’s resistance to antibiotics, a situation brought about by the misuse of the drugs.
She said it was regrettable that antibiotics resistance had become rampant in the country with adverse consequences.
“Antibiotics is a group of drugs prescribed to consumers via a prescription by a medical doctor or authorised personnel to treat an infection caused by bugs (bacteria in this case).
“When this important drug is misused in one way or the other for a period of time, they tend to create superbugs that may defile all known antibiotica.
“This is what antibiotic resistance is all about. In essence, when antibiotic resistance occurs, the antibiotic used for a disease condition becomes ineffective.
“In Nigeria, this condition, which is currently very rampant, has led to many mass failures of medical interventions such as organ transplant, surgeries and other forms of treatment that require follow-up actions with antibiotics to ensure full recovery of patients.
“It has equally led to needless deaths and caused huge embarrassments to health professionals in the country.
“The menace of fake, adulterated, counterfeit or sub-standard drugs, noncompliance with dosage as prescribed by medical practitioners, self-medication and unnecessary prescription of antibiotics have been largely implicated in antibiotic resistance.’’
Atoki urged consumers to desist from self-medication, adhere strictly to prescription and ensure they completed the dosage of drugs prescribed for them.
The CPC boss also disclosed plans by the agency to embark on a 12-month nationwide campaign and advocacy on proper use of antibiotics.
“The correlation between antibiotic resistance and the Consumer Protection Council is not far-fetched. Antibiotic resistance impedes the consumer’s right to health and safety, which the Consumer Protection Council Act aims to protect, among others.
“As we can see from the situation at hand, if drugs are misused and become worthless, the consumer does not only lose money, but his health and safety will also be jeopardised, while the national interest suffers.
“It is our hope that these campaigns will awaken Nigerian consumers to the reality of antibiotic resistance and bring about modification of lifestyle, practices and habits responsible for the menace.’’
In a goodwill message, the Chairperson, Senate Committee on Trade and Investment, Senator Fatimat Raji-Rasaki, said that the workshop was timely considering the rising cases of antibiotic abuse.
Raji-Rasaki noted that antibiotic resistance had risen to a dangerously high global level that it could not be contained by the development of new drugs.
“The WHO (World Health Organisation) has warned that without urgent action we are heading for a post antibiotic era in which common infections and minor injuries can kill.
“In order to ensure consumers’ right to safety, antibiotics must be used responsibly to avoid resistant, bacteria developing (antibiotics) which can defile all available treatments.
“I commend the effort of the Consumer Protection Council to ensure that consumers are aware and well informed on dangers associated with antibiotic resistance.
“We in the Senate will continue to give CPC the needed support to discharge its mandate to the benefits of Nigerian consumers.’’
The lawmaker urged the council to extend the planned campaign on antibiotic resistance to rural areas of the country which she said lacked access to the mass media.
The Chairman, Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria, Mr Okey Akpa, represented by Mr Olakunle Okelola, said that antibiotic resistance was currently one of the world’s most pressing public health problems.
Akpa, who chaired the workshop, emphasised that access to medicine was one of the drivers of antibiotic resistance, and called for “medicine security’’ to minimise the challenge.
He also called for multi-sectoral consumer education by stakeholders, rational use of medicines by consumers and investment in research to address the problem.
The Acting Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Ajiya Mamman, who represented the minister, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah, pledged the ministry’s support to the CPC in the planned campaign.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the workshop is, “Consumer Beware! Antibiotic Resistance Can Kill’’.
It was attended by representatives of the Ministers of Health and Agriculture; the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO); the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, among others. (NAN)
banker of the day - FREE banker tips from experts