By Abujah Racheal

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has proposed a four-pillar framework to guide national and global efforts in combating the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Dr Tochi Okwor, Head of Disease Prevention and Control at the NCDC, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

Okwor stressed the urgent need to act decisively and strategically at the country level.

“We are at a critical point. If we are to make meaningful progress in the fight against AMR, we must adopt a pragmatic and inclusive approach built on four key pillars,” she said.

She listed the first pillar as Strategic Information and Pragmatism.

Okwor stressed the importance of reliable data to inform AMR surveillance, policy, and action.

“Data must guide every step we take, and our strategies must be realistic and tailored to the unique realities of our health system,” she said.

She said that the second pillar, “Equity Must Be Central”, underscores the need to ensure that access to quality antimicrobials, diagnostics, and AMR-related services was not limited to urban or privileged populations.

“Equity is fundamental. Without it, AMR efforts will remain fragmented and ineffective,” she said.

The third pillar calls for Accountability Equals Inclusion. There is the need for transparency and stakeholder engagement at community and facility levels.

“Inclusion drives accountability. Communities must have a voice in shaping AMR interventions if we want sustainable outcomes,” she said.

According to her, the framework’s fourth pillar involves a whole-of-society approach.

She said that AMR was not just a clinical issue but a societal challenge requiring multi-sectoral collaboration across health, agriculture, environment, and education.

“Antimicrobial resistance threatens our ability to treat infections and safeguard modern medicine.

“These four pillars offer a practical and inclusive roadmap for Nigeria and other low- and middle-income countries to mount an effective response,” she said.

NAN reports that AMR occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites develop the ability to defeat drugs designed to kill or slow their growth.

While this phenomenon can occur naturally through genetic changes, it is accelerated by factors such as the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in healthcare and agriculture.

As a result, common infections can become harder to treat, leading to prolonged illnesses, higher treatment costs, and an increased risk of death.

AMR represents a global health challenge that necessitates coordinated, multi-sectoral efforts to improve surveillance, promote responsible antimicrobial use, and develop new treatments.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman

By Folasade Akpan

Dr Uche Nwokwu, Coordinator of the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, says men with large breasts are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

Nwokwu revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

He said that men undergoing hormone therapy to alter their body physiology to appear more feminine are also at elevated risk.

He explained that because men had breast tissue, they could develop breast cancer, although the condition was rare.

Confirming that such cases had been recorded in Nigeria, the NCCP coordinator emphasised the need for awareness.

According to him, breast development in men can be triggered by an increase in estrogen, the hormone responsible for breast growth, particularly when testosterone levels drop.

He said: “The hormone that women have that makes their breasts develop is also present in men.

“The difference is that testosterone, which is higher in men, suppresses that hormone; so, when there’s an imbalance between the two, whichever is higher tends to manifest more.”

He added that when estrogen levels in men become dominant, it could lead to gynecomastia (the enlargement of male breast tissue) which in turn increases the risk of breast cancer.

“Once there’s a fluctuation that disrupts the body’s ability to regulate the cell ducts, it can trigger breast cancer,” he said.

Nwokwu noted that the risk factors for breast cancer in men are similar to those in women.

He, however, said that women were more prone due to their more developed breast tissue and cell ducts.

He said that men with larger breasts face a higher risk than those with average breast size, though no man was completely exempted.

“The reason is simple, anything that lowers male hormones, whether due to sickness or environmental factors, can cause an increase in female hormones.

“That imbalance can result in gynecomastia and, by extension, raise the risk of breast cancer,” he said.

He also identified genetics as a significant factor, saying “people who come from families with a genetic predisposition need to be cautious, as even slight environmental triggers can elevate their risk.”

The coordinator further warned that men who undergo hormone therapy in attempts to transition to a female body structure are also at increased risk.

“When men take hormone therapies to alter their physiology, the more active female hormones can expose them to a higher risk of breast cancer,” he said.

On available data, Nwokwu said figures are low partly because men often do not recognise the symptoms of breast cancer until they receive a proper diagnosis.

He acknowledged the lack of conclusive data on the disease in men, saying it reflected a broader challenge in cancer data collection.

However, the NCCP coordinator said that the Federal Government had designated cancer as a reportable disease to enhance data gathering.

He added that efforts were underway to improve diagnostic capacity nationwide, so that any abnormality found in the body could be accurately identified and diagnosed.

To reduce the risk of breast cancer, Nwokwu advised men to regularly check their bodies for lumps or unusual growths, especially in the breast area.

“Any abnormal growth should be properly investigated. Tissue samples should be taken for laboratory diagnosis,” he advised. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Benson Ezugwu/Christiana Fadare