The Federal Government has launched a mobile application to support healthcare providers with real-time, evidence-based guidance on antibiotic use as part of efforts to curb antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the country.
The app, known as Surveillance and Prescribing Support for Antimicrobial Stewardship Resource Capacity Building (SPARC), is now live and accessible to qualified health professionals.
Unveiling the digital tool in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, described AMR as one of the most critical global public health threats.
Represented by the Director, Food and Drug Services Department, Pharmacist Olubunmi Aribeana, the Minister said SPARC would equip doctors, pharmacists, and other licensed prescribers with standard treatment guidelines to support rational use of antimicrobials.
“This is not just a digital platform,” Pate said. “It is a strategic weapon in our national effort to protect lives and preserve the efficacy of medicines.”
Developed through a collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Health, the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA), and other global health partners—with funding from the Fleming Fund—the SPARC App contains Nigeria’s Standard Treatment Guidelines (NSTG) and protocols for managing infectious diseases, including COVID-19. National guidelines for antimicrobial use in animals will be integrated once approved.
While noting that the app is intended strictly for trained professionals, the government said it is part of the implementation of Nigeria’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP 2.0). The plan, coordinated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), promotes responsible antibiotic use in humans, animals, and the environment under the “One Health” approach.
In her welcome remarks, Pharm. Aribeana, represented by Director of the National Food Safety Quality Programme, Mr. Tunde Atanda, praised the app as a symbol of multisectoral synergy and public health innovation.
She acknowledged the role of the Pharmaceutical Services Division and past leadership in ensuring Nigeria’s treatment guidelines were uploaded successfully to the digital platform.
The SPARC App is already being used in 22 Commonwealth countries and is expected to help transform Nigeria’s prescribing culture, she said.
Also speaking, Deputy Director and SPARC App Champion for Nigeria, Mr. Yakubu James, gave a technical presentation on the country’s strides in digital health and AMR policy.
He said the Ministry is currently reviewing the National Drug Formulary and Essential Medicines List, and developing a National Antimicrobial Stewardship Policy for Human Health.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to leveraging technology to improve health outcomes and preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics.
The SPARC App, officials say, is a critical step in slowing the spread of drug-resistant infections, reducing treatment failure, and saving lives.