Health Experts Push to Curb Over-the-Counter Antibiotic Sales to Avert Health Crisis

Public health and researchers have warned that Nigeria’s battle against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) will remain an uphill climb unless statutory bodies move aggressively to enforce laws prohibiting the over-the-counter sale of prescription-only antibiotics.

The call was made during a two-day workshop in Abuja organized by the A-STEP Project of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) in collaboration with the Nigeria AMR Media Alliance (NAMA).

The event brought together researchers, Public health experts and journalists to examine the regulatory, health, and economic bottlenecks fueling drug resistance.

Despite existing frameworks under the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), an estimated 70 percent of Nigerians still purchase antibiotics without a prescription.

,Addressing participants, an Assistant Professor and Global Health Researcher at the University of Waterloo, Canada, Dr. Charity Oga-Omenka, noted that while Nigeria’s Second National Action Plan on AMR (NAP 2.0) provides a comprehensive “One Health” blueprint, the disconnect between policy formulation and ground-level enforcement remains alarming.

Dr. Charity stated, pointing out that Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) and unregistered drug outlets frequently dispense potent prescription-only antimicrobials without diagnostic testing.

“The misuse of antibiotics is harming people more than helping them, we must see stricter enforcement of existing regulations prohibiting the over-the-counter sale of antibiotics.”

” Poor compliance with policy continues to fuel inappropriate use, leading to treatment failure, prolonged hospitalizations, and higher economic burdens for families.”

Dr. Charity Oga-Omenka also highlighted policy gaps surrounding traditional medicine, warning that while herbal remedies are widely consumed, the lack of standardized dosages and regulatory oversight poses an unquantified risk to public safety.

Delivering a message on behalf of IHVN Chief Executive Officer Dr. Patrick Dakum, Principal Investigator at IHVN’s International Research Centre, Dr. Eriobu Nnakelu, emphasized that policy implementation relies heavily on public compliance.

“We can have all the policy frameworks and scientific data, but if journalists do not translate that science into actionable information for the public, the science becomes useless,” Dr. Nnakelu remarked.

“Unregulated drug use affects household productivity and drains national resources as citizens spend scarce income on drugs that no longer work.”

The alliance between IHVN and NAMA aims to bridge this communication gap, using investigative health journalism to hold regulatory authorities accountable and drive evidence-based policy reform.

In her opening remarks, Founding Chairperson of the Nigeria AMR Media Alliance (NAMA), Ojoma Akor, challenged journalists to go beyond event coverage and investigate the structural drivers of AMR.

“As journalists, we are advocates for accountability and agenda setters,” Akor said.

“Our duty is to examine the implementation of national policies, investigate practices in pharmacies, farms, and hospitals, and ensure that AMR is treated not as a quiet background issue, but as a top-tier national security priority requiring sustained government funding and legislative backing.”

Stakeholders at the meeting concluded that achieving the goals of Nigeria’s NAP 2.0 will require synchronized action: regulatory agencies must tighten retail channels, government must subsidize basic diagnostic lab testing, and media must maintain oversight to ensure accountability across human, animal, and environmental sectors.