Access vs excess to antibiotics: The dual antimicrobial resistance issue facing the world

16 February 2016, Rome, Italy - Delia Grace. FAO International Symposium on “The Role of Agricultural Biotechnologies in Sustainable Food Systems and Nutrition”. 2.2 Post production value addition and food safety, FAO headquarters (Red room). ILRI veterinary epidemiologist and food safety expert Delia Grace (photo via Flickr ©FAO/Giuseppe Carotenuto).

This opinion piece, written by ILRI scientist and program leader Delia Grace, was originally published by Devex on 16 Dec 2016.

The numbers when it comes to drug resistance are apocalyptic. Already responsible for up to 700,000 deaths a year, the number of victims could reach 10 million by 2050, making superbugs a bigger killer than cancer is today if urgent action is not taken.
There is great concern (although as yet limited evidence) that much of this growing global health threat is linked to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in animals, especially livestock. This has accelerated the resistance of disease-causing bacteria and other microbes that also then infect people.
But while such overuse and misuse of precious treatments in animal production is a ticking time bomb, millions are conversely affected today by poor access…

View original post 780 more words

About Dr. Bukar USMAN, mni

I started as a field Veterinary officer with Borno State Ministry of Agriculture and later joined College of Agric, Maiduguri as a lecture & a Researcher in the Department of Animal Health & Production. I was appointed the Provost of the College In 2003. In 2007 I was appointed Hon. Commissioner & Member Borno State Executive Council and later appointed Permanent Secretary with the Borno State Civil Service in 2009. I was the National Facilitator Animal Health, National Programme For Food Security of the Federal Ministry of Agric & Rural Development, Abuja. I was Director, Veterinary Medicine & Allied Products (VMAP) and now Director North East Zone NAFDAC. I’m a member of the National Institute’ (mni), Kuru SEC 40, 2018. I engaged myself in various aspects of the veterinary profession. I founded Sril Group Ltd, Nigeria.

View all posts by Dr. Bukar USMAN, mni →