Rising antibiotic prices in Nigeria: An urgent frontline in the fight against antimicrobial resistance | ||||
| Microbes and Infectious Diseases | ||||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 03 September 2024 | ||||
| Document Type: Letter to the Editor | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/mid.2024.300150.2034 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
Abdulrakib Abdulrahim   ; Ibrahim Mohammed Ndana ; Bashar Haruna Gulumbe
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| Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Federal University Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| In the past few months, the Nigerian healthcare sector has been facing a formidable challenge: the steep rise in the cost of antibiotics. This surge, which is having a profound impact on both patients and healthcare providers, is largely due to the country's economic instability, characterized by fluctuating oil prices and political changes. The naira's significant devaluation and Nigeria's heavy reliance on imported pharmaceuticals are the primary drivers of this increase, rendering essential antibiotics increasingly inaccessible to many. Recent figures highlight the gravity of the situation, with some drug prices rising by as much as 1000%, far outstripping both inflation and average income growth. The cost of essential antibiotics like Augmentin, for instance, has escalated from 4,500 naira to an unaffordable 25,000 naira, marking an increase of over 450%. This trend is further aggravated by the withdrawal of major multinational pharmaceutical companies from the Nigerian market, straining the already burdened local supply chain and intensifying the public health and economic impact of these price hikes. As Nigeria contends with these severe economic challenges and a rapidly depreciating currency, more individuals are resorting to substandard antibiotics. This shift is creating a cascade of public health issues: incomplete treatment regimens, a rise in the use of counterfeit or traditional remedies, delays in seeking medical intervention, and an increase in self-medication. Such practices restrict access to newer and more effective antibiotics, leaving many infections inadequately treated. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Antibiotics; antimicrobial resistance; public health; Nigeria | ||||
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