Grant: Project Grant

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the top ten global health threats, making infections harder to treat when antibiotics stop working. AMR is a particularly urgent problem in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria, where drug-resistant infections are common. A major contributor to this issue is the misuse of antibiotics, especially in private healthcare facilities that provide two-thirds of the country's primary care. Many clinics prescribe antibiotics without proper guidelines, which increases the risk of resistance. To address this issue, we are developing an antibiotic stewardship intervention. This program is tailored towards private medical practitioners to help them improve how they prescribe antibiotics, ensuring antibiotics are used only when needed and in the right way, fostering a durable change of prescribing behaviours. Once developed, the program will be tested over six months in 24 private clinics across select areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Lagos State. Since reliable prescription records are usually unavailable or not standardized in private clinics, we will also test how to effectively collect data on antibiotic use, for example, using interviews with patients after their clinic visits. A simple electronic system will also be piloted in some clinics to compare with interview data, helping us validate this data collection approach. In fact, properly measuring antibiotic prescribing practices is an essential step in assessing the impact of our intervention. This study will refine the program and ensure it meets local needs, providing a strong foundation for future expansion. Ultimately, by improving antibiotic use, this project aims to reduce the spread of drug-resistant infections and protect public health in Nigeria and beyond.