Health experts have warned that up to 70pc of common bacteria are now resistant to antibiotics a trend that is undermining the country’s ability to treat infections.
According to experts some of the most abused antibiotics include Metronidazole, meropenem powerful drugs that should only be used for severe infections.
Speaking Tuesday during Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) stakeholders roundtable at the Norfolk Hotel, Dr. Loice Ombajo, Infectious Diseases Specialist, at the University of Nairobi warned that AMR is a leading cause of death worldwide, with bacterial AMR directly responsible for 1.27 million deaths in 2019.
She noted that the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals, and plants continue to fuel this crisis, making common infections harder to treat and threatening essential medical procedures such as surgeries and cancer treatments.
Dr. Ombajo warned against self prescription and use of antibiotics when not needed noting that misuse at household level such as buying antibiotics without prescriptions or taking them for illnesses like colds and diarrhea contributes to the crisis.
“Don’t take antibiotics when you don’t need them. Misuse puts you at risk of developing resistant bacteria,” Dr. Ombajo warned.
Nearly 44 pc of patients admitted to Kenyan hospitals are on antibiotics, a prevalence rate that is alarmingly high and driving antimicrobial resistance across the country.
Antimicrobial Use Technical Lead, UoN Studies, Prof. Margaret Oluka remarked that some of the most prescribed medicines in hospitals fall under the World Health Organization’s (WHO) “Watch” and “Reserve” categories, including ceftriaxone and meropenem drugs meant to be used sparingly in only the most severe cases.
Prof. Oluka highlighted that the neonatal units are most affected where antibiotic use exceeds 60 pc often as a precautionary measure for newborns with infections.
The practice which is sometimes lifesaving exposes vulnerable infants to resistant infections at an early age which limits treatment options.
“The situation is even more critical in neonatal units, where antibiotic use exceeds 60pc, often as a precautionary measure for newborns with infections.” She remarked.
Experts caution that such practices, while sometimes lifesaving, expose vulnerable infants to resistant infections early in life and limit treatment options when they truly fall ill.
The health experts are warning that this alarming trend is undermining the country’s ability to treat common infections and pushing doctors to rely on last-line drugs.
Speaking at the same forum, Clinical Microbiologist, Dr. Ali Kassim said Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus are among the most common bacteria pathogens causing common infections.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective and infections become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat.
Antimicrobial resistance is rising worldwide, especially in low income regions such as Southeast Asia, South America, and sub-Saharan Africa.
Experts say the AMR is being called a “silent pandemic”, but evidence shows it causes more deaths annually (1.9 million) than COVID-19 did in its first year.
They called on hospitals to follow national guidelines on antibiotic use which emphasize rational prescribing and restrict access to certain medicines to higher-level facilities.
Further the citizens have been urged to maintain proper hygiene to reduce the burden of disease.
They highlighted that government has also updated the Kenya Essential Medicines List (KEML) to ensure procurement is guided by resistance data, preventing outdated or ineffective antibiotics from being stocked in hospitals.
As Kenya prepares to mark World Antimicrobial Awareness Week in November, the key message remains simple but urgent: “Don’t take an antibiotic when you don’t need one.”
WHO says, The World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) is a global campaign to raise awareness and increase understanding of AMR and to promote global action to tackle the emergence and spread of drug-resistant pathogens. As one of WHO’s official health campaigns, WAAW is mandated by the World Health Assembly and is commemorated annually from 18 to 24 November, with the theme for WAAW 2025 being “Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future.”
