Dr. Ike Ifeanyichukwu Samuel, a United States-based Antimicrobial Stewardship advocate, physician, and epidemiologist, has warned that the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in Nigeria could worsen antimicrobial resistance and increase deaths from infections that were previously treatable

Ike, who raised the concern during the 2026 Staff Public Health Symposium organised by the Enugu State Agency for the Control of AIDS, urged healthcare professionals to strengthen antibiotic stewardship and ensure that antimicrobial medicines are prescribed only when medically necessary.

The symposium, held in Enugu on August 26, 2026, was organised by the Executive Secretary of ENSACA, Dr. Rita Emeh, as part of efforts to improve the capacity of healthcare workers to respond to emerging public health challenges.

Speaking on the theme, “Antibiotics: Powerful Medicines We Must Not Waste,” Dr. Ike warned that inappropriate prescriptions, self-medication and the unnecessary use of antibiotics were accelerating the emergence of drug-resistant infections.

He disclosed that an estimated 64,500 deaths in Nigeria were directly attributable to bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019, while approximately 263,400 deaths were associated with the condition.

According to him, the figures demonstrate the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance to Nigeria’s healthcare system, particularly given the country’s high infectious disease burden and challenges associated with access to quality healthcare.

“Antimicrobial resistance is not a problem waiting for us in the future; it is already here. People are already dying from infections that have become more difficult to treat because the medicines we have relied on are losing their effectiveness,” he said.

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms, including bacteria, develop the ability to withstand medicines designed to eliminate them, making infections increasingly difficult and expensive to treat.

Dr. Ike explained that the inappropriate use of antibiotics could encourage the survival and spread of resistant bacteria, thereby reducing the effectiveness of medicines needed to treat serious infections.

He stressed that healthcare professionals must prioritise evidence-based prescribing, appropriate dosages and treatment duration to preserve the effectiveness of existing antibiotics.

“Antibiotics are among the most powerful medicines modern medicine has given us, but their effectiveness cannot be taken for granted.

“Every time we use an antibiotic unnecessarily or incorrectly, we create another opportunity for resistance to develop,” he stated.

The physician clarified that antibiotic stewardship was not intended to deny patients access to essential medicines but to ensure that treatments were administered appropriately.

“Stewardship does not mean withholding antibiotics from patients who need them. It means giving the right antibiotic to the right patient, at the right dose, by the right route and for the right duration—and avoiding antibiotics when they are not needed,” he explained.

He also urged doctors, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals to assess the necessity of antibiotic prescriptions before administering treatment.

“Every prescription is an opportunity for stewardship. Before prescribing an antibiotic, we should be asking: Does this patient truly need it? Is this the most appropriate drug? Is the dose correct, and how long should the patient receive it?” he added.

Speaking at the symposium, Executive Secretary, Dr. Rita Emeh highlighted the relationship between antimicrobial resistance and HIV management, stressing the importance of protecting the effectiveness of medicines used to treat infections among vulnerable populations.

She noted that improving awareness and promoting responsible antibiotic use were essential to strengthening sustainable public health interventions.

The ENSACA boss explained that the symposium formed part of the agency’s efforts to equip its personnel and healthcare partners with the knowledge required to address emerging health challenges beyond HIV/AIDS.

The discussions also emphasised the need for collaboration among healthcare institutions, government agencies, policymakers and communities to tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Dr. Ike maintained that developing new antibiotics alone would not resolve the growing problem, stressing that protecting existing medicines through responsible prescribing and public education remained equally important.

He urged Nigerians to avoid self-medication and the assumption that antibiotics were necessary for every illness.

“The antibiotics we preserve today are the antibiotics that may save a life tomorrow.

“We all have a role to play—physicians, pharmacists, nurses, public health professionals, patients and policymakers. Protecting these medicines is a responsibility we share,” he said.