Empowering Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors to Promote Rational Antibiotic Use in Nigeria’s Underserved Communities: Lessons from the IntegratE Private Sector Intervention
1
Society for Family Health, Abuja, Nigeria
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health crisis, largely fueled by irrational antibiotic use. In Nigeria, Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) remain the most accessible healthcare providers for rural and underserved populations. While they close gaps in access to healthcare, limited training and weak regulatory oversight often lead to inappropriate antibiotic dispensing. The IntegratE project, implemented by Society for Family Health, demonstrated how private-sector providers can be trained to deliver quality healthcare services. This abstract explores how lessons from IntegratE can inform strategies to empower PPMVs in promoting rational antibiotic use in underserved Nigerian communities.
METHODS:
From September 2017 to September 2025, IntegratE applied a multi-layered approach including training, supportive supervision, demand generation, and strategic community engagement across 11 Nigerian states. More than 4,119 PPMVs were trained in counseling, referral, test-and-treat for common childhood illnesses, and data reporting. This abstract recommends adapting these methods especially leveraging the trust PPMVs hold in communities for AMR containment.
RESULTS:
PPMVs trained under IntegratE delivered measurable improvements in child health outcomes. Over 341,605 children with fever were tested with RDTs, with 259,380 treated with ACTs. Additionally, 127,194 children with diarrhea were treated with ORS and zinc, and 45,148 pneumonia cases managed with amoxicillin DT. Importantly, 105,220 caregivers received counseling, contributing to improved care-seeking behaviors and reduced malnutrition incidence. These results demonstrate that targeted training, supervision, and integration into health systems can transform PPMVs from potential drivers of misuse into frontline actors in promoting rational medicine use including antibiotics.
CONCLUSIONS:
Lessons from IntegratE illustrate that empowering PPMVs is a viable strategy to curb irrational antibiotic use. Embedding them into AMR frameworks can shift prescribing behaviors, strengthen community engagement, and build resilient health systems. Sustained impact will require multisectoral partnerships, stronger regulation, and continuous monitoring to balance access with responsible antibiotic use.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health crisis, largely fueled by irrational antibiotic use. In Nigeria, Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) remain the most accessible healthcare providers for rural and underserved populations. While they close gaps in access to healthcare, limited training and weak regulatory oversight often lead to inappropriate antibiotic dispensing. The IntegratE project, implemented by Society for Family Health, demonstrated how private-sector providers can be trained to deliver quality healthcare services. This abstract explores how lessons from IntegratE can inform strategies to empower PPMVs in promoting rational antibiotic use in underserved Nigerian communities.
METHODS:
From September 2017 to September 2025, IntegratE applied a multi-layered approach including training, supportive supervision, demand generation, and strategic community engagement across 11 Nigerian states. More than 4,119 PPMVs were trained in counseling, referral, test-and-treat for common childhood illnesses, and data reporting. This abstract recommends adapting these methods especially leveraging the trust PPMVs hold in communities for AMR containment.
RESULTS:
PPMVs trained under IntegratE delivered measurable improvements in child health outcomes. Over 341,605 children with fever were tested with RDTs, with 259,380 treated with ACTs. Additionally, 127,194 children with diarrhea were treated with ORS and zinc, and 45,148 pneumonia cases managed with amoxicillin DT. Importantly, 105,220 caregivers received counseling, contributing to improved care-seeking behaviors and reduced malnutrition incidence. These results demonstrate that targeted training, supervision, and integration into health systems can transform PPMVs from potential drivers of misuse into frontline actors in promoting rational medicine use including antibiotics.
CONCLUSIONS:
Lessons from IntegratE illustrate that empowering PPMVs is a viable strategy to curb irrational antibiotic use. Embedding them into AMR frameworks can shift prescribing behaviors, strengthen community engagement, and build resilient health systems. Sustained impact will require multisectoral partnerships, stronger regulation, and continuous monitoring to balance access with responsible antibiotic use.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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