The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, has said the livestock sector uses more antibiotics than the human health sector.

Mr Pate noted that the responsible use of the drugs in livestock could help reduce the pressure driving antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that can affect humans.

He made the statement on Monday in Abuja at a joint One Health ministerial briefing ahead of the fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR.

Explaining the need for a multi-sectoral approach to AMR, the minister said antimicrobial use in livestock is an important part of the resistance problem.

“The livestock sector uses more antibiotics than the human health sector. So if they are used better, then there’s less pressure for antimicrobial resistance to develop that can affect people,” he said.

Mr Pate said antimicrobial resistance could move between humans, animals and the environment, emphasising the need for collaboration across sectors.

“Much of the zoonotic disease and AMR can come from animal health to humans,” he said, adding that the use of antimicrobials in animal health and human health could have consequences for the wider population.

Prevention before treatment

The minister said efforts to control AMR should not focus only on the treatment of infections but also on preventing diseases that require antimicrobial medicines.

He identified vaccination, hygiene, biosecurity, infection prevention and control, and improved diagnostics as important measures.

“If you can prevent the disease, then you don’t need to use the antimicrobial,” Mr Pate said.

He also urged Nigerians to avoid using antibiotics unnecessarily, noting that not every cough or catarrh requires antibiotic treatment.

“It’s not every cough that needs to use antibiotics. It’s not every catarrh that needs to use antibiotics, please consult a doctor,” he said.

Livestock practices

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, said AMR also poses a threat to agriculture and food security.

Mr Abdullahi said inappropriate or excessive use of antimicrobials and agrochemicals could undermine disease control, food safety, trade and livelihoods.

According to him, the agriculture sector is prioritising responsible use of antimicrobials, farmer education, extension services, good agricultural practices and biosecurity.

One Health approach

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, said AMR cuts across human, animal and environmental health.

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“Resistance does not respect boundaries. It cuts across sectors. It moves from people to animals, from farms to food, and through water, soil, and waste systems,” Mr Lawal said.

The ministers’ meeting is part of preparations for the fifth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR, which will be held in Abuja from 6 to 8 December.

The conference is the first global high-level ministerial conference on AMR to be held in Africa, with the theme, “One Healthcare: Advancing global AMR commitments to local action.”