Dr. Abiodun Egwuenu, C5, is a PhD researcher at Humboldt University of Berlin/Charité in Germany. She is a trained medical doctor and field epidemiologist from Nigeria, with a primary focus on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). Before her PhD, she served as the Antimicrobial Resistance Program Coordinator for the Nigeria CDC.
In our discussion, Dr. Abiodun highlighted AMR as a global health threat due to the increasing ineffectiveness of many drugs. Nigeria faces rising drug-resistant infections and high mortality rates. She emphasized the importance of diagnostic testing to detect AMR, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, where resistant bacterial infections are prevalent. Her project aimed to improve diagnostic testing for resistant infections in Nigeria.
Dr. Abiodun described AMR as a “faceless” problem, unlike HIV or Tuberculosis, requiring a collaborative approach across various stakeholders and organizations, including national ministries, the WHO, the Flemming Fund, the World Bank, and the National Insurance Agency. She navigated stakeholder interests by fostering a collaborative environment, emphasizing action plans, and clear communication.
She also developed a national diagnostic stewardship toolkit for AMR and applied the theory of change framework learned in IPPHL to train staff in Abuja. This improved blood culture requests, particularly for sepsis, which is often complicated by AMR.
Regarding public health disparities, Dr. Abiodun pointed out that children, especially newborns, are at higher risk of AMR infections due to their undeveloped immune systems. Investing in prevention strategies, such as education, is crucial to mitigate this risk.