- 6,000 Ghanaians die annually from antimicrobial resistance
- Medicines no longer working due to abuse, says Dr. Amuasi
- Ghana fights antimicrobial resistance
Ghana sees an estimated 6,000 deaths annually due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), according to the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR).
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve and no longer respond to the medications designed to treat them, making infections harder to manage. This increases the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.
Dr. John Amuasi, lead of the Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research Group at KCCR, explained that addressing antimicrobial resistance is crucial for saving lives. “This is simply because the medicine that is used to cure microbes are not working, which happens when people abuse these microbials because they no longer become effective,” he said.
Speaking to Joy News during the World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week, Dr. Amuasi emphasized the importance of raising awareness to reduce the negative impact of AMR. He suggested that one of the key solutions is ensuring that antimicrobials are only given to those who truly need them. “The only way to limit the antimicrobial is to make it available to the right people who need it and prevent it from those who don’t need it,” he added.
The 2024 World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week was observed under the global theme “Educate. Advocate. Act now.” The week aims to raise awareness about the urgent need to combat AMR, a growing global health challenge. AMR not only threatens human health but also poses risks to food security and sustainable development, undermining the effectiveness of antimicrobials, particularly antibiotics, which are crucial in treating a wide range of diseases.
In a related event, Dr. Charity Wiafe Akenten, a Research Fellow with the One Health Bacteriology Research Group at KCCR, addressed commercial drivers at Tech on the dangers of self-medication and its role in exacerbating AMR. She explained that Ghana is taking steps to mitigate the impact of AMR through a national action plan developed by the Ministries of Health, Food and Agriculture, and the Veterinary Department. This plan includes public awareness campaigns, strengthening laboratory capacities, and educating farmers on the responsible use of antimicrobials.
