Nairobi, 18 November 2020 – With Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) threatening development and health in Africa, six international and continental organizations are launching the first partnership of its kind to combat this public health crisis on the continent.
Noting the ‘silent public health threat’ that antimicrobial resistance poses in African countries, representatives from key health agencies have expressed concern over uncontrolled antimicrobial use across the continent.
The leaders spoke during a virtual press conference on the first day of the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) Campaign for Africa.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa says Africa needs to act swiftly on AMR to curb a looming health crisis.
“Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most pressing health challenges Africa faces. If we don’t act now, we could see the continent roll back the gains in health we have made through immense effort and sacrifice. We must stop endangering our future and think before we pop a pill in our mouth,” Dr. Matshidiso Moeti told the virtual press briefing.
Antimicrobials include antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals, and plants.
Antimicrobial agents have saved millions of lives and protected animal health and welfare, as well as food security. But their rampant misuse in health settings and agriculture is killing 700,000 people annually around the world.
In Africa, research findings estimate that 4.1 million people could die of failing drug treatments by 2050 unless urgent action is taken.
While data on AMR is sorely lacking on the continent, there are signs that resistance to commonly prescribed antimicrobials is significant.
Malaria, which kills 3000 children in Africa every day, is increasingly showing resistance to once-effective treatment options. Tuberculosis is becoming resistant to the drugs typically used to treat it.
Current studies indicate that drug resistance to HIV is increasing and could cause 890,000 deaths by 2030 in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Antimicrobial resistance threatens the health, safety, and prosperity of Africa. We need immediate and sustained action from governments and all partners across the human, animal, and environmental sectors. Together, we can prevent infections, ensure antimicrobials are used appropriately, and limit the transmission of drug-resistant infections,” Dr. Nkengasong John, Director of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention told the virtual press briefing.
AMR is exacerbated by the easy availability of medicines without a prescription. An estimated one in ten medicines globally is substandard or falsified, and the African region is one of the most affected in the world.
In markets and on street corners, people are buying antimicrobials of unknown quality. Without proper medical supervision, people often stop their drug course too soon or they double-dose rather than keep to a prescribed strict time interval for appropriate drug-taking.
The same happens in the treatment of animal diseases coupled with under-dosing, disrespect to drug withdrawal periods, and use of antimicrobials as growth promoters.
The improper use of antimicrobial medicines enables bacteria, viruses, fungi, and microscopic parasites to mutate into superbugs that are resistant to the drugs designed to kill them.
These superbugs can travel across countries, resulting in thousands, or potentially millions, of deaths. Their treatment is resulting in prolonged hospital stays and the need for more expensive medicines, leading to huge additional costs in health expenditure by governments and individuals.
“We are at a critical time to change the way we use antimicrobials for humans, animals, and plants and reduce the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. If AMR is left unchecked, the next pandemic we face could be antimicrobial-resistant, and much deadlier if the drugs needed to treat it do not work,” Dr. Abebe Haile-Gabriel, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa told the media briefing.
The World Bank projects that the additional health care cost by 2050 could be between US$ 0.33 trillion and US$ 1.2 trillion.
AMR in agriculture reduces productivity, hinders the provision of safe food, and has a direct impact on food security and sustainability of livelihoods for farming communities. Improper disposal of pharmaceutical, hospital, abattoir, human, and animal waste contaminates the environment with antimicrobials and antimicrobial-resistant organisms.
“Antimicrobial resistance is a matter of concern for Africa because of the public health threat on African citizens and the negative socio-economic impact on wellbeing and livelihoods,” noted Prof. Ahmed EL-Sawalhy, Director African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources.
AMR is not only a health issue but a complex problem that requires a united multisectoral approach. The six partners making this joint statement represent the public health, agriculture animal health, and environmental sectors.
The organizations jointly committed to 10 points of action, including fostering a One Health approach and leveraging each organization’s core competencies.
Areas of collaboration include strengthening advocacy for the more prudent use of antimicrobials by increasing general public and medical practitioner awareness, understanding and behavior change; supporting the integration of AMR action in routine infection prevention and control (IPC) measures as well as vaccination, farm biosecurity, and good hygiene practices; and supporting compliance with international standards for the management of human, animal and industrial waste.