Academics ask FG to fund development of herbal solutions for antibiotics resistance

Kolawole Oyedeji, professor of Medical Microbiology at the University of Lagos, has asked the federal government to support the exploration of herbal solutions to antibiotic resistance.

Oyedeji was a guest lecturer during the World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week public lecture held at McPherson University on Thursday.

He delivered a lecture titled: ‘Deconstructing the Use of Natural Products as Antimicrobial Agents: the Role of Efflux Pump Inhibitor Molecule’.

Oyedeji advised the federal government to use the opportunity of skyrocketing drug prices and look inward into promoting “home-grown medicinal plants” as herbal products to solve the problem of antibiotic resistance.

He said antibiotic resistance is a public health issue that has led to several antibiotics not working appropriately to cure patients with infections.

“The herbal product market is being regulated better now, using Lagos State as an example. So what we need to do now is to start thinking of home-grown medicinal plants to help solve the problem,” the lecturer said.

“Most of the drugs we are using, the prices are going up, but these herbal products from medicinal plants we do not need dollars.

“Therefore, the government should support funding of research in this area, for example through TETFUND, then we can showcase to the world what is happening in Nigeria.”

During the event, some other academics advocated for the inclusion of private universities in the initiatives of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).

Francis Igbasan, the vice-chancellor of McPherson University, said there is a need for the government to make more funds available for research activities in the country.

Represented by Julius Olatunji Okesola, the deputy vice-chancellor, he said granting private universities access to TETFUND would be a “good legacy” of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Commending the recent reversal of the 40% IGR deduction policy, Igbasan added that the federal government can do more in the area of academic research in Nigeria.

“Very little can be done with the meagre resources available at the disposal of most tertiary institutions in Nigeria,” the VC said.

“Government should think of what they can give to universities as against what they can get from them.”