HEALTH authorities have been urged to push for stronger national co-ordination, improved surveillance and practical interventions as the country confronts rising cases of drug resistance disease strains.
This was said by experts a two-day Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) conference in Harare yesterday.
“We need this conference to generate concrete steps on improving surveillance and diagnostic capacity across human, animal and environmental health,” public health specialist Tapiwa Mhlanga said.
“AMR is no longer a theoretical threat. It is affecting treatment outcomes everyday and the system needs to respond faster.”
Veterinary epidemiologist Lindiwe Chagonda said the meeting should address gaps that continue to drive misuse of antibiotics in livestock production.
“There has to be better regulation, better farmer education and a stronger link between laboratories and field operations,” she said.
"Our expectation is that this conference forces a shift from fragmented activities to co-ordinated one health planning.”
The event is focusing on four major areas: strengthening surveillance and diagnostics; promoting access, infection prevention and control, and antimicrobial stewardship; responses across human, animal, plant and environmental sectors; and policy and governance reforms.
- Health talk: Antimicrobial resistance: A threat to humanity
- Health talk: Antimicrobial resistance: A threat to humanity
- Government calls for all-hands-on-deck in Antimicrobial Resistance fight
- UK ‘falling short’ in fight against rise of superbugs resistant to antibiotics
Keep Reading
Health economist Brighton Mavesere urged authorities to close the financing gaps undermining national AMR interventions.
“My hope is that the conference pushes government and partners towards a clear resource-mobilisation strategy,” he said.
Zimbabwe has not been spared the negative impact that multidrug-resistant organisms have on health and well-being, food security, environment and economic growth.
In addition, the proliferation of counterfeit and unregistered medicines on the informal market coupled with irrational prescribing in the private sector are said to be fuelling the spread of AMR.
