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By Izunna Nkwachukwu
In response to the worrisome and growing abuse of herbal remedies being reported in the news, the Nigerian government has been urged to intensify efforts towards the standardisation, enforcement, and regulation of such remedies and medicines in the country.
Disturbed by the increasing incidence of herbal remedies abuse, a microbiologist and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree researcher at Clemson University, South Carolina, United States made a plaintive call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to activate extant laws and processes in this regard, to stem the tide and mitigate the situation.
Herbal medicines can have side effects but their safety largely depends on how they are used. She added that though such medicines have not been directly linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the risk comes from misuse, especially when people rely on them in place of proper medical treatment or combine them with antibiotics incorrectly.
“Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health concern in Nigeria, where antibiotics are often easily accessed without prescription and frequently misused.
In Nigeria, many people rely on herbal remedies, but a major concern is that most of them are not standardised, and they are often taken without proper consultation with healthcare professionals.
“Also, taking the correct dosage is key to both safety and effectiveness, and people should understand that herbal medicines do not replace conventional antibiotics when those are truly needed,” she advised.
In light of this, she emphasised that it is important that such medicines should be used under guidance, with an understanding of their potential side effects, and supported by scientific evidence where possible.
Justice-Alucho revealed that antimicrobial resistance is one of the top global health threats associated with hundreds of thousands of deaths annually and is projected to cause up to 10 million deaths per year by 2050, if not addressed.
The microbiologist explained that antimicrobial resistance does not directly harm the body, but it makes infections much harder to treat. She further explained that if the infection comes back and the bacteria or fungi have become resistant, that same antibiotic would no longer work, and there may be no effective treatment available afterwards.
“In the Nigerian context, this is especially dangerous due to limited access to diagnostics and advanced treatment options. Many patients end up self-medicating or receiving inappropriate treatment, which allows infections to progress and increases the risk of complications or death. AMR also places a heavy financial burden on individuals and families, as stronger and more expensive drugs are often required.
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“Additionally, the use of antibiotics in poultry and livestock production contributes to the spread of resistant bacteria through the food chain and environment, further increasing human exposure. This makes AMR not just a clinical issue, but a broader food safety and public health challenge,” she added.
The microbiologist urged the Nigerian government and stakeholders in the health sector to strengthen and implement policies that regulate antibiotic sales and usage. Furthermore, she urged the government to ensure that farmers strengthen biosecurity, vaccination, and hygienic practices in animal production, while creating and enforcing policies that prohibit individuals from using antimicrobials, particularly in the poultry industry.
She added that research focusing on alternatives to antibiotics should be funded to ensure solutions are context-specific and scalable.
“There should be increased public awareness of the dangers of self-medication and antibiotic abuse. Controlling antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria requires not just regulating antibiotics but reducing the need for them.
Justice-Alucho also spoke extensively on the relationship between food insecurity and national health, stating that food insecurity shapes how people perceive health because it drives both poor nutrition and risky coping behaviours.
She stressed that limited access to nutritious food weakens immunity, increases infection rates, and often leads to reliance on cheaper, lower-quality animal products or self-medication, both of which can increase exposure to antibiotic residues and resistant pathogens.
“This directly links to antimicrobial resistance, and my research in poultry systems is looking into that. In settings where farmers face economic pressure and weak biosecurity, antibiotics are often used to prevent losses, which accelerates resistance,” she said.
In line with her work and research, she stated that by improving poultry gut health through functional feeds, like fermented sorghum, people and societies can reduce disease burden, lower antibiotic use, and produce safer, more reliable protein, thereby addressing food insecurity while also slowing the spread of antimicrobial resistance at the population level.
•Nkwachukwu, a freelance media practitioner, writes via email
