A recent report raises concerns about a worrying trend among newborns in Nigeria. According to findings by Gavi, the vaccine alliance, some Nigerian babies are being born with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly colistin-resistant bacteria.
Colistin is often considered a treatment of last resort for serious infections, so the discovery of resistance in neonates is particularly worrying. The report, which examined samples from mothers and their babies, found that antibiotic-resistant bacteria were present in infants as young as one week old. Surprisingly, neither the mothers nor the babies had been treated with colistin, raising concerns about how these dangerous bacteria spread.
This discovery is particularly worrying for a country like Nigeria, where access to healthcare and effective treatment options is already limited. Experts are concerned about what this means for the future health of Nigerian children, as antibiotic-resistant infections are notoriously difficult to treat and can lead to serious complications.
The report is a wake-up call to healthcare providers and policy makers to improve infection control measures and find new ways to protect the youngest and most vulnerable from these dangerous superbugs.
