Environment

Ignore Antimicrobial Resistance At Your Own Risk – India High Commissioner

Published

6 years ago

January 25, 2020

The Indian High Commissioner to Zambia Mr. Ngulkham Gangte has warned that any country that ignores the effects of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) does so at its own peril.

Gangte gave the warning at the three-day Pan-Africa Workshop on Effective Implementation of National Action Plans on Antimicrobial Resistance holding in Zambia.

The workshop which has in attendance experts from 11 countries is organized by the Zambia National Public Health Institute, Ministry of Health, Zambia in conjunction with the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) the India-based think tank.

It is also attended by journalists from five African countries that shared their experiences from the ground and got to know what is being done to contain this crisis of AMR.

AMR is the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and some parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarial) from working against it.

According to Gangte, the ability of organisms to resist antimicrobial treatment especially antibiotics had a direct impact on human and animal health that carried a heavy economic burden due to the high cost of treatment, and reduced productivity caused by prolonged sickness.

“AMR also impact food safety, nutrition security, livelihoods and consequently, attainment of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Therefore, we all must work together to prevent the menace of AMR in our countries,” Gangte advised.

Also, Zambian Minister of Health Dr. Chitalu Chilufya called on African countries to urgently act on the development and implementation of National Action Plans (NAPs) for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

Chilufya said the objective of the workshop is to discuss the threat of AMR to humans, animals, and the environment; its spread, and impact in Africa and to understand the implementation of the NAPs on AMR.

“AMR is the consequence of the abuse and misuse of antibiotics which poses a greater threat to public health security that robs countries of their aspirations for universal health coverage.

“There is the need for African countries to invest in resilient public health systems which will gear towards reducing the inappropriate use of antibiotics among the public’’.

He, therefore, called on the media to partner with their respective governments in educating the public on the need to stop the abuse and misuse of antibiotics.

On his own, the Director, Food Safety and Toxins Programme, CSE, India, Mr Amit Khurana, while setting the context for the workshop called for innovative ways to manage the issue of access and excess of antibiotics usage.

Khurana said that the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in food-animal production is a key driver of AMR in humans who ultimately consume the animals and animal products.

“The global success to contain AMR will hugely depend on how we handle it, so we must use greater discretion in our approaches and implementations.

“The threat of AMR is real and globally reaching crisis levels, therefore there must be caution in the production of food and management of waste.

“We cannot afford to allow misuse of antibiotics and chemicals first in our system and then after spend a lot to clean it up from their food and environment”

Part of the highlights of the workshop was the launch of five key reports namely;

“Down To Earth’s (DTE) `FROM CURE TO KILLERS, Road Map to Phase out Non-Therapeutic Antibiotic Use and Critically Important Antibiotics in Food-Animals in Zambia, Baseline Information for Integrated Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance in Zambia, Zambia’s Multi-Sectorial National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, and Zambia’s Integrated Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Framework”.

NAN

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Environment

Royal Commonwealth Society Kicks Off Clean Oceans Campaign in Nigeria

Published

3 months ago

July 8, 2025

The Gleamer

By Joel Ajayi

The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), in collaboration with the National Sports Commission (NSC) and Commonwealth Games Nigeria, has officially launched the Clean Oceans Plastic Awareness Campaign in Nigeria, aiming to combat the growing threat of plastic pollution across the Commonwealth.

The campaign was flagged off on Wednesday at Jabi Lake, Abuja, with a strong message of environmental responsibility, especially for Nigeria’s youth.

The initiative is designed to raise awareness about plastic pollution, encourage proper waste disposal, and promote environmental stewardship—particularly around the country’s waterways.
Speaking at the launch, the Country Director and CEO of the Royal Commonwealth Society Nigeria, Mr. Blackson Olaseni Bayewumi, emphasized that the campaign is part of a global Commonwealth-wide effort to curb plastic waste and protect ocean ecosystems.

He highlighted the critical role of sports as a tool for engaging young people and driving meaningful change in environmental behavior.

“The Commonwealth accounts for one-third of the world’s ocean waters, and nearly half of its member countries are Small Island Developing States that suffer disproportionately from plastic pollution,” Bayewumi noted.

According to him, the Royal Commonwealth Society’s Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign aims to prevent at least one million pieces of plastic from entering Commonwealth waterways.

The campaign blends grassroots education with direct community action, urging people to reduce their plastic footprint, embrace alternatives, and promote cleaner oceans.

A major component of the campaign is its integration with the King’s Baton Relay—a hallmark of the build-up to the Commonwealth Games. In a groundbreaking move, the 2025-2026 relay will spotlight sustainability and environmental protection, beginning with its launch by His Majesty The King at Buckingham Palace on Commonwealth Day 2025. The Baton Relay is now on a 500-day journey across all Commonwealth nations and territories ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

In each country, including Nigeria, the Baton Relay will bring together youth, athletes, local communities, and environmental groups for a week of activities—most notably, organized plastic clean-up drives.

The urgency of this campaign is underlined by alarming statistics: the world produces 400 million tonnes of plastic every year, with over 12 million tonnes ending up in the oceans.
Without urgent action, scientists predict that by 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the sea.

Plastic waste poses a deadly threat to marine life—suffocating birds, fish, and mammals while damaging key ecosystems.

Moreover, as plastics break down into microplastics due to ocean erosion and sunlight, they enter our food, water, and even air.

Although the full health implications of microplastics remain unknown, early research suggests they may disrupt vital bodily functions—and there is currently no method to fully remove them from the environment or our bodies.
The campaign supports multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly:

SDG 12: Responsible, Consumption and ProductionSDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 14: Life Below Water

It also reflects the core principles of the Commonwealth Charter, especially: Article 9: Sustainable Development. Article 10: Protection of the Environment and Article 14: Recognition of the Needs of Small States

As the world grapples with escalating environmental challenges, the Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign represents a significant step in uniting nations, communities, and young leaders under a shared mission: to protect our oceans, preserve biodiversity, and build a cleaner, safer world for future generations.

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