Vusumuzi Dube
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE has launched the World Antimicrobial Resistance (WAAW) Awareness Week with this year’s theme “Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance Together” emphasizing the need for collective action to address the global health challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
The commemorations run from 18-24 November 2023 and health experts in Zimbabwe are yet to scientifically gather drivers of Antimicrobial Resistance but they suspect overuse/underuse of antibiotics is a major driver.
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is when an organism/ pathogen/bug becomes resistant to antimicrobials designed to inhibit or kill them leading to effects like higher medical costs of securing an alternative drug, prolonged hospital stays, and even increased mortality.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) notes that Zimbabwe, like many other countries in the world, has not escaped the negative impact of drug-resistant organisms and the impact they have on health, well-being, food security, and economic growth, they also gave some of the reasons for the increase in AMR.
The Quadripartite partners consisting of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), in partnership with African Union agencies, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU IBAR) together with the Government of Zimbabwe, will this year host the continental celebration.
“The continental event will bring together a wide array of important participants and stakeholder groups. These will include high-level policy and decision-makers of Member States, Regional Economic Communities, the One Health Community, development partners, private sector partners, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), civil society organizations, academia, research institutions, centres and the general public,” read a statement from the Quadripartite partners.
The Government will also hold a signing ceremony for the Zimbabwe Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plan (NAP).
“Other activities during the WAAW will include media briefings and press conferences, a ‘world café’ debate on AMR and correct use, an engagement with high school students on AMR awareness including a mini football tournament, a high-level panel discussion on AMR’s environmental dimensions, policy dialogues on accelerating progress in African countries in the implementation of AMR National Action Plans, AMR One Health multisectoral collaboration and governance, AMR in aquaculture, and laboratory and field visits,” they added.
They added that WAAW serves as a platform for collaboration amongst stakeholders in the fight against the emergence and spread of AMR. It provides a valuable opportunity to enhance awareness and advocate for AMR risk mitigation efforts across sectors. This event also demonstrates continental unity and positions Africa as the leading region in combating AMR while reinforcing critical messages to generate more collective policy guidance and support for the advancement of programmes aimed at reducing AMR risks.
It is said that in Zimbabwe, many people cannot afford appropriate medical care hence they end up using left-over antibiotics or buying antibiotics from the black market. This means the bug/pathogen is subjected to low antibiotic doses hence it will not die but learn to survive in the presence of such an antibiotic.
On the overuse side, it is said a lot of people use antibiotics to treat conditions that do not require antibiotics like influenza or colds or flu which are caused by viruses.
“Antibiotics are suitable for bacterial conditions and never required to treat conditions caused by viruses,” health experts have said.
@NyembeziMu
Online Reporter