Abuja: Stakeholders in the health sector on Thursday inaugurated a platform known as Com-Watch, to address inadequate antibiotic stock and the circulation of substandard ones. The initiative aims to combat antimicrobial resistance by empowering communities, vendors, and stakeholders with integrated, data-driven technology designed to control stock in real-time and detect substandard and falsified (SF) antibiotics.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Community Access to Effective Antibiotics (Com-WATCH) solution is being implemented in collaboration with key partners, including eHealth Africa and health regulatory agencies such as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Dr Adetiloye Oniyire, the Country Director of Jhpiego, emphasized that investments in healthcare infrastructure and workforce development would not yield desired results if patients receive substandard or falsified medicines.
Oniyire descr
ibed antimicrobial resistance as a global health challenge that requires urgent and coordinated action. The Com-Watch initiative aims to raise awareness and bridge long-standing gaps in community-level monitoring of antibiotics, strengthening surveillance against substandard medicines.
Yemisi Ogundare, Project Director of COM-WATCH, explained that the mobile application would help communities verify the safety of antibiotics and monitor drug stocks in real-time. The application allows community members to check the authenticity of antibiotics before using them, with features such as sending alerts when drugs are near expiry and notifying users about possible quality concerns. Available on Android devices, it can also be accessed offline through USSD in rural areas.
Dr David Akpan, Deputy Director of Partnerships and Programmes at eHealth Africa, noted that the project was designed as a digital response to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Akpan highlighted that the platform would enable commun
ity pharmacies, patent medicine vendors, and agro-vet stores to manage their antibiotic stock while verifying the authenticity of medicines. The solution would provide regulators with critical data to guide policy decisions on antibiotic use in Nigeria.
Dr Olajide Idris, the Director-General of the NCDC, warned that antimicrobial resistance threatens the effectiveness of antibiotics and makes common infections harder to treat. Represented by Dr John Okoh, Idris emphasized the importance of collective action from healthcare workers, patients, policymakers, farmers, regulators, and communities to combat antimicrobial resistance. He urged stakeholders to engage with the Com-Watch platform to strengthen surveillance, improve access to quality medicines, and reduce the drivers of antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria.