The study revealed that the superbug could be transferred between tourists on airport toilet door handles and then spread to different destinations across the world and investigated how easily drug-resistant bacteria could hitch a ride with travellers as they jet across the world.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), resistance to first-line drugs to treat infections caused by Staphlylococcus aureus- a common cause of severe infections in health facilities and the community- is widespread. People with MRSA are estimated to be 64 per cent more likely to die than people with a non-resistant form of the infection.
Several studies have shown that without effective antimicrobials for prevention and treatment of infections, medical procedures such as organ transplantation, cancer chemotherapy, diabetes management and major surgery (for example, caesarean sections or hip replacements) become very high risk. It has also been shown that antimicrobial resistance increases the cost of health care with lengthier stays in hospitals and more intensive care required.
Also, health officials have confirmed 13 cases of a sometimes deadly and often drug-resistant fungal infection, Candida auris, which has been reported in the United States (U.S.) for the first time.
The infection, which often spreads in hospitals and other health care settings, was identified by the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in June 2016 as an emerging global threat.
In Nigeria, the issue is further compounded by lack of maintenance culture in her airport facilities.ytyuThe deplorable service-delivery at these airports, including the international airports in Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Abuja calls for serious interrogation and introspection.
In the last one year, the deteriorating state of infrastructure and services at the nation’s Aviation sector has again called to question, the readiness of relevant authorities in securing the country’s navigational space.
Recently, it was reported that power supply was disrupted for over 24 hours in one of the country’s major airports. Although power outage is not a new phenomenon in the country, it is embarrassing for that to be experienced at an airport of international stature.
Beyond that incident of blackout, which is not the first at an airport in the country, most facilities are in a state of disrepair. The result is that there has been poor service delivery to the airport users.
With this recent threat announced by the WHO, concerned users of Nigerian airport say Government has to step up his game to ensure that people flying into the country do not bring the killer germs with them.
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