FG Unveils SPARC App To Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance, Enhance Rational Prescribing Across Health Sector

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By; ARCHIBONG ESUENE, Abuja

In a bold decisive determination towards strengthening Nigeria’s fight against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the Federal Government has officially launched the Surveillance and Prescribing Support for Antimicrobial Stewardship Resource Capacity Building (SPARC) App.

SPARC App according to Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is a cutting-edge digital platform developed to promote responsible prescribing practices and reduce misuse of antibiotics.

Speaking at the official unveiling of the App in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, declared the SPARC App “Live in Nigeria,” emphasizing its transformative potential in safeguarding the efficacy of life-saving antimicrobials for future generations.

According to Prof Pate , Antimicrobial Resistance is one of the most serious global public health threats of our time, explaining that, “SPARC App is our strategic response to empower healthcare professionals with reliable, evidence-based tools to support responsible antibiotic prescribing.”

The Minister represented by Pharmacist Mrs Olubunmi Aribeana, Director Food & Drugs Services Department in the Ministry of Health emphasized that this is not just a digital platform, “it’s a weapon in our fight to protect lives and preserve the effectiveness of medicines,”

Professor Pate stated that SPARC App is developed in collaboration with the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) and funded by the Fleming Fund, the SPARC App serves as a digital compendium of Nigeria’s Standard Treatment Guidelines (NSTG) for infectious diseases.

The App speaking further the Minister said incorporates local and international treatment protocols, including those for COVID-19, and will soon include Guidelines for the Use of Antimicrobials in Animals, once approved.

“The App is designed exclusively for use by healthcare professionals such as doctors, pharmacists, and prescribers and is not intended for general public use. Its purpose is to guide and standardize antimicrobial prescribing practices, ensuring that medications are used only when necessary, at the right dose and duration, thereby reducing the development and spread of drug-resistant infections,” he said.

Alignment with Global and National AMR Strategies, the Coordinating Minister highlighted that Antimicrobial Resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve and no longer respond to antimicrobial treatments, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.

” The issue has gained global attention, prompting the World Health Assembly (WHA) to adopt Resolution WHA 68.7 in 2015, calling for urgent action through a Global Action Plan (GAP).”

He reiterated that Nigeria adapted this strategy into its own National Action Plan on AMR (NAP), now in its second iteration (NAP 2.0), and coordinated through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).”

The SPARC App supports the implementation of this plan, particularly the Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) pillar, which encourages evidence-based, judicious use of antibiotics across the One Health sectors, human, animal, and environmental health, urging all prescribers in Nigeria, particularly physicians, who are legally empowered to prescribe medicines to immediately adopt the SPARC App in their clinical practice.

“We must act now. Every prescription written must be informed by the best available evidence. The SPARC App offers that guidance at your fingertips,” he said.

“Today, we begin a new chapter in Nigeria’s journey to curb AMR,” Prof. Pate declared. “Let us all embrace this innovation and protect the future of medicine.”

In her welcome address, Pharm. (Mrs.) Olubunmi Aribeana, Director Food and Drug Services Department represented by Mr. Tunde Atanda Director National Food Safety Quality Programme, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, hailed the project as a model of multi-sectoral collaboration and digital innovation.

“The SPARC App represents the combined efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health, the NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, the Federal Ministry of Environment, the CPA, and international partners. This app, which is already in use across 22 Commonwealth countries, when fully implemented has the capacity to truly change the way antibiotics are prescribed in our country and thus, reduce the risks of developing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), which have been the bane of treatment failure globally”.