Dr Chukwuma Great Udensi, a Nigerian microbiologist and Ph.D student at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, U.S., has warned about the threat of antibiotic resistance in Nigeria. He noted that the issue can affect the country’s healthcare system, productivity, and economy. Udensi stressed that unchecked, it would reduce the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 3.5% by 2025.
According to him, microbiome-based innovations are a hopeful solution to antibiotic resistance and broader antimicrobial resistance diseases. The researcher noted that antibiotic dependence and resistance can be mitigated through lifestyle choices and a balanced diet. Other alternatives of the resistance treatment include faecal microbiota transplants, engineered gut bacteria, probiotics, and prebiotics.
