Lagos Warns Against Self-Medication, Unrestricted Drug Access

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has warned that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is becoming a major threat to human and environmental health, urging residents to stop self-medicating with antibiotics and antimalarial drugs.

Abayomi raised the concern in a statement shared on his X handle on Saturday, stressing that government alone could not tackle the growing threat.

He said the unnecessary or incorrect use of antimicrobial medicines gives microorganisms opportunities to develop resistance, making some medicines increasingly ineffective.

“One Health is not a slogan. It is a warning,” Abayomi said.

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“Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is becoming one of the biggest threats to human and planetary health,” he added.
According to the commissioner, the problem is worsened when prescription medicines are obtained without proper diagnosis, medical advice and regulatory oversight.

He described a common but dangerous practice where patients who feel unwell assume they have malaria, visit medicine vendors or pharmacies and purchase antimalarial drugs without undergoing tests.

He contrasted this with the recommended process, which involves consulting a qualified healthcare provider, undergoing appropriate examinations and tests, receiving a diagnosis and following a treatment plan.

Abayomi made the remarks while participating in the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Lagos State Branch Pharmacy Week 2026, where he called for stronger collaboration among healthcare professionals, government and the public.

He urged clinicians to prescribe medicines responsibly and conduct appropriate diagnostic assessments before treatment.

The commissioner also called on pharmacists and drug vendors not to dispense antibiotics without prescriptions or antimalarials without evidence of a positive malaria test.

He said the Nigeria National Prescription and Dispensing Policy should be domesticated in Lagos State to strengthen regulation of prescription medicines.

Abayomi further urged farmers and animal husbandry practitioners to use antimicrobials responsibly and observe appropriate withdrawal periods before animals are taken to market.

He also advised members of the public to stop self-medicating with antibiotics or demanding them without medical advice.

The commissioner outlined several measures he wants the pharmacy profession to support, including mapping the pharmaceutical ecosystem to provide the Ministry of Health with accurate workforce data, strengthening referral pathways to clinical services and eliminating unrestricted access to prescription-only medicines.

He warned that the consequences of antimicrobial resistance could be severe if urgent action is not taken.

“We are protecting the effectiveness of medicines that may save our lives,” Abayomi said.

“Our antibiotics are becoming less effective, and we are running out of options.”