The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development says it has discovered an antibiotic resistant bacteria in Abuja meat products. The Director-General of the institute, Dr Obi Adigwe, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lagos that it uncovered the bacteria through a research.
He spoke as the World Antibiotics Awareness Week is being marked globally between November 12 and 16. “In what could be literally termed ‘the Antimicrobial Resistance battle for the survival of humankind’, researchers, particularly those in our field represent the first line of defence.
“At the NIPRD, we have now picked up the gauntlet and have engaged in groundbreaking AMR research. “In one of our recent studies which surveyed quality of livestock in the FCT, empirical evidence from laboratory investigations, indicated that meat products were tainted with bacteria that were resistant to commonly used antibiotics.
“Even more worrisome is the fact that some of these same products were contaminated with traces of heavy metals which have equally detrimental effects to human health,’’ Adigwe said.
(NAN)
