Medical researchers have raised an alarm over a surge in Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in humans, animals and the environment, with 6,670 deaths attributable to AMR and 28,500 associated with AMR recorded in 2021.
The researchers are now calling for a multi-sectoral approach to strengthen AMR governance and financing and defuse what they describe as a ticking time bomb.
AMR occurs when disease-causing pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, change over time and no longer respond to medicines they previously responded to, making infections increasingly difficult to treat.
Medical researchers note that although resistance develops naturally over time, its spread has been accelerated by the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in human health, agriculture and animal production.
Factors such as poor sanitation, weak surveillance systems, inadequate human and financial resources, weak regulatory frameworks, climate change and pandemics have further contributed to the growing burden of AMR.
The Ministry of Health, through the Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), is hosting a two-day summit in Mombasa to engage leading partners and stakeholders in identifying actionable pathways for strengthening governance and financing for AMR containment.
The summit brings together policymakers, researchers, development partners and other key stakeholders.
It seeks to identify practical governance and financing measures that will strengthen Kenya’s response to AMR, including cross-sectoral participation, communication, coordination and collaboration, while enhancing equity, accountability, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and advancing sustainable financing for AMR containment efforts.
The summit comes at a time when AMR is increasingly threatening the effectiveness of life-saving medicines and placing growing pressure on health systems.
Dr Emmanuel Tanui, KNPHI National AMR Focal Point, said Kenya is making strides in addressing the AMR scourge through the development of the National Action Plan on Prevention and Containment of AMR 2023-2027.
The plan aims to strengthen governance and coordination mechanisms, enhance the knowledge base through surveillance and research, and advance sustainable investment in AMR containment, among other strategic actions.
The plan comes amid rapid changes in donor funding, following the end of the Fleming Fund, which supported improved AMR surveillance and laboratory capacity in low- and middle-income countries.
“The entire plan costs about Sh2 billion, which is a five-year plan. When you break it down, it comes to around Sh600 million per annum to implement,” stated Dr Tanui.
He added: “It means that basically if we can set aside finances to support implementation of the annual activities either at the national government or the counties, we know a lot of the sectors are devolved, then we will be able to implement some of these priority activities.”
Dr Tanui attributed the high number of AMR-related deaths in low- and middle-income countries to poor health systems and inadequate infection control systems.
Dr Martin Bundi, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Acting Director of Research Capacity Building warned that failure to act against AMR is expected to result in economic losses equivalent to 3.8 per cent of global GDP and push an estimated 24 million people into poverty, with low- and middle-income countries disproportionately affected.
KEMRI Health Systems Researcher Dr Edna Mutua said AMR cannot be addressed by one sector alone, calling for concerted efforts across different sectors.
“We cannot say that if we address issues in human health, then we are good to go. We have got to think about what is happening in our crop production, in our animal production, environment sector, our fisheries and aquaculture and even wildlife,” stated Dr Mutua.
On the misuse of drugs, she said they are adopting stewardship practices to ensure the right medicines are dispensed for the right conditions.
NEMA Senior Principal Environment Compliance and Enforcement Officer Dr John Mumbo disclosed that the agency has revised its regulations and integrated surveillance to address pharmaceuticals and effluents entering the environment that may contribute to AMR.
Dr Mumbo called for proper waste management practices and appropriate disposal of antibiotics to prevent the spread of AMR.
Dr John Kariuki, Director of the Directorate of Veterinary Services, noted that more than 70 per cent of disease conditions emanate from animals, cautioning that failure to control diseases in animals could predispose the human race to infections.
by Sadik Hassan
