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Mukudzei Chingwere Herald Reporter
The capacity of laboratories mandated to analyse pathogens will be scaled up as part of a raft of measures to bring Zimbabwe’s public health care into line with best international practices, Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Constantino Chiwenga said yesterday.
Of particular importance is the need to identify the growing number of pathogens resistant to some drugs for appropriate treatment.
Speaking at the opening of the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory and Antimicrobial Resistance Unit and at the launch of Fleming Fund and multi-partner trust fund grants at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital yesterday, he said Zimbabwe will scale up the capacity of laboratories.
In his address read by Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr John Mangwiro, VP Chiwenga said: “This will ensure enhanced antimicrobial sensitivity testing so that resistant pathogens can be identified and appropriate action can be taken. Going forward, 12 laboratories in the human health, animal health and environmental science sectors have been earmarked for upgrading,” he said.
“This scaled up capacity will allow for enhanced antimicrobial sensitivity testing so that resistant pathogens can be identified and appropriate action taken.
“We are pleased that the strides that have been made by the National Antimicrobial Resistance programme and that has contributed in large measure to the programme being recognised as one of the Antimicrobial Resistance best practices in Africa.”
Zimbabwe yesterday joined the rest of the world in commemorating the belated World Antimicrobial Awareness Week which has been held annually between 18 and 24 November since 2015.
The commemorations provide an opportunity to raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance worldwide, as well as to encourage best practices among the public, health workers and policy makers in order to avoid the emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections.
This year’s theme, “Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance”, is a call for commitment to all of us, starting from individual level to collective level, to make informed health decisions on the use of antimicrobials.
VP Chiwenga said the spread of drug-resistant pathogens that have acquired new resistance mechanisms, leading to antimicrobial resistance, continue to threaten our ability to treat common infections.
World Health Organisation country representative Dr Alex Gasasira said in 2019, a resolution on antimicrobial resistance that recalled the political declaration on antimicrobial resistance was made.
“It is indeed encouraging to see Zimbabwe implementing important components of this resolution.”
“Anti-microbial resistance has been described as a silent pandemic that will be responsible for millions of excess human deaths and increased health care costs. Loss of animal lives because of antimicrobial resistance will also adversely affect human livelihoods and food security,” said Dr Gasasira.
“We also call upon Government and partners to optimise coordinated multisectoral action to -make accelerate progress in other priority areas of the National Health Strategy particularly primary health care and universal health coverage.”
Zimbabwe’s efforts immediately got the endorsement of the United Kingdom, “as the UK, we congratulate for its ongoing action on AMR,” said British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Melanie Robinson through Geraldine O’Callaghan a staffer at the embassy.
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