A professor of Veterinary Microbiology at the University of Ilorin, Mashood Raji, has said that the total number of global deaths directly attributable to antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections is expected to rise to 39 million between now and 2050.
Delivering the 307th inaugural lecture of the university, titled, “Microbes: Invisible Enemies of Human and Livestock,” Professor Raji also said that the number of global deaths directly linked to antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections is predicted to rise from 1.27 million in 2019 to 1.91 million in 2050.
However, the inaugural lecturer said that more than one-third of that number could be averted if action is taken.
He said a study has demonstrated that poultry meat and meat products are a source of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella strains, stressing that the development is a serious concern for public health and food safety.
Professor Raji recommended that a coordinated national surveillance programme should be established and sustained to monitor disease incidence, identify epidemiological risk factors, monitor seasonal disease trends, and provide real-time surveillance of antimicrobial resistance to enable rapid public health interventions.
The don also said a formal and sustainable mechanism should be established for routine collaboration and information sharing among the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and institutionalise inter-sectoral collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and Veterinary Teaching Hospitals (VTH), as such collaboration is essential for effective disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and coordinated emergency response.
He called for improved food safety, biosecurity and environmental sanitation, where governments, livestock producers and livestock market associations should enforce strict hygiene, sanitation and biosecurity standards throughout the production chain. Modern slaughterhouses, reliable water supply, effective waste disposal systems, routine inspection and strict compliance with food safety regulations are essential to reduce food-borne diseases and safeguard public health.
He called for strengthened public awareness and community engagement, where governments, educational institutions, professional bodies, civil society organisations and the media should intensify public education campaigns on food hygiene, responsible antimicrobial use, vaccination, environmental sanitation and zoonotic disease prevention, as community participation is indispensable for achieving sustainable disease prevention and control. Consultation, disease monitoring, electronic reporting and digital advisory platforms will improve access to veterinary and public health services, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
He noted the need for increased investment in animal and public health, where governments at all levels should significantly increase funding for disease surveillance, laboratory infrastructure, vaccine development, antimicrobial resistance monitoring and research, as the private sector, development partners and philanthropic organisations should complement these efforts through strategic investments and public-private partnerships that strengthen national health security.
Raji added that regulatory agencies should intensify the enforcement of laws governing the production, importation, distribution, sale and use of veterinary drugs and vaccines, while the manufacture and circulation of counterfeit and substandard veterinary products should attract severe sanctions, proposing that the prescription and administration of restricted veterinary medicines should remain the exclusive responsibility of licensed veterinary practitioners to promote responsible antimicrobial stewardship.
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