News

HEALTH Alert! Babies in Nigeria are being born with antibiotic resistant bacteria – Study

Published

2 months ago

August 8, 2024

By Kayode Sanni Arewa

Sepsis occurs when one’s immune system has an extreme response to an infection. It’s a life-threatening condition: globally, it accounts for about 11 million deaths—20% of all deaths per year.

And it doesn’t just affect adults. In 2020, 2.4 million newborn babies died of sepsis in the first month of their lives. Most of these deaths happened in sub-Saharan Africa.

The main treatment for sepsis is antibiotics. However, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in human medicine and agriculture has led to antimicrobial resistance—a process in which bacteria, fungi and parasites have developed the ability to resist the action of medicines.

The World Health Organization describes antimicrobial resistance as one of the top global public health and development threats.

This growing resistance is due to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in both human medicine and in farming. They’re used in large quantities to grow crops and in animal feeds to treat and reduce the risk of infection in livestock.

It has been forecast that, by 2050, more people will die from antimicrobial resistance than both cancer and diabetes combined.

Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the regions with the highest rates of deaths associated with antimicrobial resistance (including sepsis) in the world, with 23.5 deaths per 100,000 people.

In our latest study we found that samples taken from mothers and newborn babies younger than one week in Nigeria already had colistin-resistant bacteria present in their bodies. But neither the babies nor their mothers had been treated with colistin.

Colistin is one of the last remaining antibiotics that is still effective in killing bacteria and fighting infections such as pneumonia. It is deemed critically important for human medicine by the World Health Organization.

We surmise that mothers may have picked up these colistin resistant bacteria from the environment. We cannot speculate on the specific mechanism. The babies, meanwhile, could have picked up the bacteria from the hospital, the community, or from their mothers. It’s not yet known if these colistin-resistant bacteria stay in the mothers or babies—but if they do this may increase their chances of acquiring future drug-resistant infections.

How we did our study

The samples from newborn babies and their mothers in our study were collected between 2015 and 2017 from three hospitals in Kano and Abuja. This research is the largest ever screening of intestinal microbiota for colistin resistance in Nigeria.

Of the 4,907 samples we analyzed in our Cardiff and Oxford laboratories, we found that 1% of samples had genes conferring colistin resistance, across 41 mothers and eight babies. Although this is a low percentage, it is extremely worrying that any babies were carrying colistin-resistant bacteria within their first week of life.

Colistin is rarely used in hospitals and clinics in Nigeria. Therefore, our findings suggest that resistance may have emerged from the increasing use of colistin in agricultural settings in the country. We are continuing our research with collaborators in Nigeria to further understand the levels of resistance in both the health care system and more broadly.

Dangers of using antibiotics in agriculture

Globally, more antibiotics are prescribed to animals than to humans. Most of this consumption is not to treat infections; rather, it is to prevent infections or promote faster growth in animals.

In 2016 mobile colistin (mcr) genes were discovered in E. coli bacteria from a pig farm in China. These genes carry resistance to the antibiotic colistin, and can spread between bacteria, furthering colistin resistance.

This discovery led to a total ban on colistin’s agricultural use in China.

In February 2022, European laws were expanded to make it illegal to add antibiotics to livestock feeds as a precaution to prevent infections before they start.

However, in a study we published in 2023, we found that, while European countries have banned the use of colistin in farming, paradoxically they still actively export livestock feeds that contain colistin to low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria for agriculture use.

It seems a highly questionable practice to knowingly profit by selling feedstuffs banned for use in Europe to developing countries that lack these regulations—particularly when these countries already suffer from some of the highest rates globally of endemic antimicrobial resistance for common antibiotics and treatment alternatives are either prohibitively expensive or completely inaccessible.

Estimates suggest that globally almost 100,000 tons of antibiotics were used to raise cattle, sheep, chickens, and pigs in 2022. This usage is expected to increase by another 8%by 2030 and will lead to a direct increase in antibiotic-resistant infections.

Call for a total ban

There needs to be a global ban on colistin’s indiscriminate agricultural use to preserve this crucial antibiotic for when it is urgently required.

However, this is a delicate balance. A ban without alternative solutions will likely affect food production and adversely affect farmers’ livelihoods in already challenging climates. And, with the world’s population set to increase by about 2 billion by 2050, demand for affordable meat will only rise.

Urgent investment is also needed in hospital infection prevention and control programs and improved water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in farms to help to limit the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria around these environments.

Animals should be given antibiotics only when they are sick. These antibiotics should be selected from those the World Health Organization has listed as being “least important” to human health rather than from those classified as “highest priority/critically important.”

In September 2024, during the UN General Assembly in New York, leaders from governments, industry, financial institutionsand scientific organizations will come together for a UN High-Level meeting on antimicrobial resistance.

This meeting offers a timely opportunity for global leaders to set some targets to reduce antibiotic use in farming and support farmers in low- and middle-income countries to improve farm hygiene practices.

News

Condolence pour in as Akwa Ibom gov Umo Eno loses wife

Published

7 mins ago

September 27, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

*** She was apillar of support to the Eno – Sanwo-Olu

***As PDP suspends LG campaign in Akwa Ibom

By Francesca Hangeior

Mrs Patience Umo Eno, wife of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, is dead.

The state Commissioner for Information, Ini Ememobong, announced the First Lady’s death in a press statement issued in the early hours of Friday.

According to the commissioner, the First Lady died at a hospital on September 26, 2024, surrounded by family members
The statement titled “Unexpected Sunset” read, “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of the Wife of the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Her Excellency, Pastor Mrs. Patience Umo Eno, following an illness.

“She passed away peacefully at the hospital on 26th September 2024, in the presence of her family.

“The family submits to the will of the Almighty and asks for the prayers and support of kind-hearted individuals during this difficult time.

“Further details will be provided by the family as necessary. In the meantime, the family kindly requests privacy as they mourn their beloved wife, mother, and grandmother.

“His Excellency, the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno appreciates all who have stood by the first family in this period and assures all the citizens that despite this huge personal loss, his commitment to the service of the state is unwavering.”

Meanwhile, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed his heartfelt condolence with his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Umo Eno, over the passing of his wife, Patience Eno.

Sanwo-Olu, in a statement on Friday, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, described the deceased as a “pillar of support” to the governor, as he lauded her leadership and humanitarian work in the state.

The statement read partly, “On behalf of my wife, Ibijoke and family, the government and people of Lagos State, it is with a deep sense of sorrow that I commiserate with my brother Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, on the passing of his beloved wife, Pastor (Mrs) Patience Umo Eno.

“I also express my deepest condolences to the people of Akwa Ibom State and the entire Eno family, as well as wives of all the state governors in Nigeria over the demise of the Akwa Ibom First Lady.

“Pastor (Mrs.) Patience Umo Eno was not just a wife and mother, but a soulmate and pillar of support to our brother, Governor Eno. She supported thousands of people in Akwa Ibom State through the Golden Initiative For All (GIFA), a foundation that focused on providing shelter, food, and education to the poor and vulnerable in Akwa Ibom.

“The First Lady, fondly referred to as Eka Iberedem Akwa Ibom, meaning “Mother and Strong Pillar of Akwa Ibom,” was widely loved for her compassionate leadership and humanitarian work in Akwa Ibom during her lifetime.”

Sanwo-Olu prayed for the repose of the deceased, saying, “I pray that the Almighty God will grant the deceased eternal rest and Governor Umo Eno, the entire family, and the people of Akwa Ibom the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

In the meantime, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State has put its political campaign for local elections in the state on hold following the death of the Akwa Ibom First Lady, Patience Eno.

Local elections in Akwa Ibom is scheduled for 26 October and political parties have been campaigning for votes.

Announcing the suspension of campaigns in a statement on Friday, the PDP Publicity Secretary in the state, Edwin Ebiese, said “This devastating news has left our party, and indeed the entire state, in a state of mourning.

“As we struggle to come to terms with this immense loss, we are compelled to pause our campaign activities as a mark of respect for the departed First Lady.

“We regret any inconvenience this suspension may cause and appreciate the understanding of our supporters and the general public during this difficult time.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State and his immediate family, the government, and people of Akwa Ibom State. May God grant the family of the deceased and our state the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”

News

Bishop Oyedepo @70: He is a dedicated servant in the Lord’s Vineyard -Obi

Published

37 mins ago

September 27, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has described the General Overseer of the Living Faith Church, Bishop David. O. Oyedepo is an exceptional servant in God’s vineyard.

In a congratulatory message to the Bishop on his 70th Birthday anniversary today, Obi said the cleric exemplifies the true purpose of God’s creation.
Writing on his X handle, the former Anambra State Governor said Bishop Oyedepo has remained “A remarkable figure in faith, a dedicated servant in God’s vineyard, and a leader who exemplifies the true purpose of God’s creation.
“Your life continues to be a source of blessing, reflecting dedication, tireless work, and a commitment to God’s mission.

“Through your ministry, countless lives have been touched, embodying faith, hope, and love. Outstanding Institutions such as Living Faith Church, Covenant University, and Kingdom Heritage Model School stand as lasting testimonies to your pursuit of excellence.

“Today, we honor your enduring legacy, your compassionate outreach, and your immense contribution to humanity. May God continue to strengthen, guide, and bless you in all your endeavors.

“Thank you for being a beacon of God’s grace. Your remarkable journey will inspire generations to embrace faith, integrity, and purposeful living.

“May your continued intervention through prayer in the affairs of our country help us to find direction for a new Nigeria.

News

PDP Halts LG Campaign In Akwa Ibom Over Death Of Gov Eno’s Wife

Published

40 mins ago

September 27, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

Local elections in Akwa Ibom is scheduled for 26 October and political parties have been campaigning for votes.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State has put its political campaign for local elections in the state on hold following the death of the Akwa Ibom First Lady, Patience Eno.

Local elections in Akwa Ibom is scheduled for 26 October and political parties have been campaigning for votes.

Mrs Eno died on Thursday in a hospital following an undisclosed illness, according to a statement issued on Friday morning by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Akwa Ibom, Ini Emembong.

“She passed away peacefully at the hospital on 26th September 2024, in the presence of her family.

“The family submits to the will of the Almighty and asks for the prayers and support of kind-hearted individuals during this difficult time.

“Further details will be provided by the family as necessary. In the meantime, the family kindly requests privacy as they mourn their beloved wife, mother, and grandmother.

“As we struggle to come to terms with this immense loss, we are compelled to pause our campaign activities as a mark of respect for the departed First Lady.

“We regret any inconvenience this suspension may cause and appreciate the understanding of our supporters and the general public during this difficult time.