Stakeholders in the health sector have called for intensified attention to be given to Antimicrobials Resistance (AMR) matters in the country, as well as across the world.
This, they believe, is the only way to effectively prevent these AMRs from continuing to thrive.
This call was made at the FOCOS Orthopaedic Hospital, a leading non-profit health facility in Ghana, as part of activities to mark the global Antimicrobials Resistance (AMR) awareness week, held in Accra.
The forum, on the theme; "Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance Together," brought together staff of the hospital and experts within the health sector to discuss collaborative efforts to prevent AMR, which was declared a global health threat by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2014.
AMR occurs when bacteria change and become resistant to the antibiotics used to treat the infections they cause.
When that occurs, patients have to contend with a longer time to recover from their medical ailments, despite taking the recommended medications.
The forum at the FOCOS Hospital was also aimed at raising awareness on AMR and the hospital’s efforts at leading the campaign, in collaboration with the government, to prevent the very serious health threat in the country.
In her opening address, the Chief Executive Officer of the FOCOS Orthopaedic Hospital, Dr Irene Adorkor Wulff, explained how AMRs are gradually becoming prevalent around the world, more so, in Ghana.
“This calls for immediate response by health professionals to create awareness within the public so as to prevent condition across the country. This is why FOCOS is holding this discussions to launch its quest to collaborate with the government and other stakeholders to prevent AMR in the country,” she stated.
She urged the public to use medications in the best ways possible and avoid self-medications in order to prevent the disease.
“AMR is becoming a serious issue and we must all come together to support in this preventive campaign. Here at FOCOS, we have started our campaign and would need all hands on deck to tackle this very crucial health condition,” she stressed.
A family physician and diabetologist, Dr Francis Addai, took time to detail some of the causes of AMR, including misuse and overuse of antibiotics, unfinished treatment and overuse of antibiotics in animal farming.
He stressed that poor infection control in hospitals and clinics, lack of hygiene and poor sanitation, and the lack of new antibiotics being developed could also be a factor.
“This is a silent public health issue that must be addressed. He said in 2019, bacteria antimicrobial resistance contributed to 2.7 million deaths global.
“It is also projected that AMR will cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050 if the issue is not addressed. AMR is a threat to the operations of health facilities, to patients in terms of cost and it requires urgent attention,” he stressed.
Dr Irene Adorkor Wulff is the CEO of the FOCOS Orthopaedic Hospital
The Head of Reference Lab at the Ghana Health Service, Dr Gifty Boateng, said creating awareness and surveillance as well as research were also important in tackling the issue.
“We also need to strengthen laboratories to release results on time while improving upon monitoring and evaluation at health facilities,” she stated.
She said the government was committed to partnering FOCOS and other stakeholders to curb the canker.
She advised the public to practice personal hygiene including regular washing of hands, handle waste properly and visit health facilities for proper medications when sick.
The stakeholders at the forum also concluded that AMR is a threat to medical practices, including surgery, as it affects the practice and the nation in general.
They also urged the public to, as much as possible, adhere to prescriptions given them because those schedules are given for specific reasons and for specific effects.
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The stakeholders at the forum on AMR at the FOCOS Hospital in Accra