20 March 2025
Health leaders meet in Nigeria to collaborate on access to effective antibiotics
The Trinity Challenge delivered a workshop today in Abuja to explore community access to effective antibiotics in partnership with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and Jhpiego. The workshop convened healthcare leaders, researchers, tech specialists, and other experts to explore two barriers to access to effective antibiotics: stock control and substandard or falsified oral antibiotics. These issues impact both human and animal health.
The workshop included talks from experts on the global and local context of stock control and substandard and falsified antibiotics. Delegates then designed and tested ideas for data- and technology-based solutions, presenting their prototypes.
Louise Gough, Chief Operating Officer, the Trinity Challenge, said, “Today has been an extremely exciting and enlightening opportunity to work with colleagues in Nigeria, where we know there is a great wealth of health expertise and innovation working to tackle high rates of antibiotic-resistant infections. Among the drivers of the antibiotics emergency is the lack of access to effective antibiotics in many communities, chiefly in low- and middle-income countries. Today was a great example of the power of multi-disciplinary collaboration to begin to develop solutions to these barriers.”
Dr. Jide Idris – Director General, NCDC, said, “We may be walking with our eyes wide open into a future where antibiotics no longer work. AMR is not a problem for tomorrow, it is a crisis we are facing now and if we fail to act, medicine will fail us when we need it most. Stockouts, unregulated sales, and low awareness are driving AMR, turning treatable infections into life-threatening conditions. We must regulate distribution, expand access, and educate communities on responsible use. At NCDC, alongside our One Health partners, we are leading Nigeria’s AMR response, raising awareness, strengthening surveillance, infection prevention, antimicrobial stewardship, and ensuring access to quality antibiotics. But this fight demands collective action and bold, innovative solutions.”
Dr. Yemisi Ogundare, Project Director, Jhpiego, said, “Ensuring access to effective antibiotics is a fundamental step toward safeguarding global health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The barriers of stock control and substandard or falsified medicines not only jeopardize treatment but also contribute to preventable deaths, especially among children under five and vulnerable populations. Today’s workshop marks a significant leap toward solving these challenges by harnessing innovation, collaboration, and technology to create sustainable solutions from experts within the sector that will improve access to high-quality, life-saving antibiotics for those who need them most.”
Access to assured-quality antibiotics remains a pressing issue, with substandard or falsified antibiotics accounting for an estimated 10% of human antibiotic consumption in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Improved stock control can also ensure antibiotics reach those who need them the most; of the 7.75 million people who die of bacterial sepsis each year, almost 3 million have infections that could have been treated with commonly-used, oral antibiotics such as penicillin and amoxicillin, which are generally low cost, less likely to drive antibiotic resistance in bacteria, and should be widely available. Children under five years of age in LMICs are especially affected.
The Abuja workshop aligns with the Trinity Challenge on Community Access to Effective Antibiotics, a new global innovation competition. The Challenge is calling for data-driven solutions to antibiotic stock control and substandard and falsified oral antibiotics in low- and middle-income countries. A prize fund of up to £1 million is available. Applications are open until 24th April 2025.
About The Trinity Challenge
The Trinity Challenge (TTC) is a charity supporting the creation of data-driven solutions to help protect against global health threats. We believe data and analytics hold the key to building effective, affordable, and scalable solutions to current and future pandemics and health emergencies, and we are committed to working with governments, individuals and organisations across the world, to help improve our resilience against current and future threats to global health.
The Trinity Challenge was launched in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted a global need to be better prepared to tackle healthcare emergencies. The inaugural 2021 Challenge on pandemic preparedness received applications from 340 teams across 60 countries and distributed a prize fund of £5.7 million across eight winning initiatives.
In 2024, the second Trinity Challenge awarded a total of £2.7 million across four winning teams for its competition on tackling the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The work of the Trinity Challenge has been made possible through the support of our Members.
About Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) is the Nigeria national public health institute with the mandate to lead the preparedness, detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks and public health emergencies. The Bill for an Act to establish NCDC was signed into law in November 2018, NCDC vision is to build a healthier and safe Nigeria through the prevention and control of diseases of public health importance, NCDC also has a mission to protect the health of Nigerians through evidence-based prevention, integrated disease surveillance and response activities, using a one health approach, guided by research and led by a skilled workforce. With core functions Core Functions to prevent, detect, and control diseases of public health importance. Coordinate surveillance systems to collect, analyse and interpret data on diseases of public health importance. Support states in responding to small outbreaks and lead the response to large disease outbreaks. Develop and maintain a network of reference and specialised laboratories. Conduct, collate, synthesise, and disseminate public health research to inform policy and lead Nigeria’s engagement with the international community on diseases of public health relevance.
About Jhpiego
Since its founding in 1973, Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University has been innovating to save the lives of women and families worldwide. Our technical expertise couples global evidence with breakthrough innovations—and then translates it to the real-life contexts of the countries where we work. In partnership with national governments, health experts and local communities, Jhpiego builds health providers’ skills and develops systems that save lives now and guarantee healthier futures for women and their families. With a vision for self-reliant countries, healthy families and resilient communities. All women and families, regardless of where they live, having access to high-quality, lifesaving health care delivered by competent and caring providers. Jhpiego works in the area of Maternal, new born and child health, Global health security, AMR, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, Adolescent and youths health, Women cancer, Malaria prevention and treatment, Primary health care, Innovations, Nursing and Midwifery, Learning and performance, safe surgery and others Global health priorities across over 40 Countries.
