Tanzania to launch national plan to curb antibiotic resistance

Chief Medical Officer, Prof Mohammed Bakari speak at a past event

What you need to know:

  • Chief Medical Officer, Prof Mohammed Bakari, told public health stakeholders in Dar es salaam that the new government's plan will address the challenges faced by health workers who prescribe antibiotics irrationally and also introduce strict measures to control self-prescription of the medications.

Dar es Salaam. The government is expected to, on Friday, launch a National Action Plan to curb the threat of antibiotic resistance in the country.

Chief Medical Officer, Prof Mohammed Bakari, told public health stakeholders in Dar es salaam that the new government's plan will address the challenges faced by health workers who prescribe antibiotics irrationally and also introduce strict measures to control self-prescription of the medications.

"When I was still in medical school, many years ago, a drug known as Amoxycillin could effectively cure Urinary Tract Infections (UTI), but currently, this drug is one of the antibiotics that can no longer cure UTI effectively," said Prof Bakari during a symposium organised by the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and children in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO).

The Symposium themed: "Handle antibiotics with care-Antmicrobial Resistance in Tanzania," comes at a time when the world is battling the public health crisis-antibiotic resistance.

WHO's Acting Country Representative, Dr Richard Banda warned during the symposium in  Dar es Salaam that if left unchecked, antibiotic resistance will make common dental and surgical procedures risky; and infections more difficult to treat.

Friday’s launching of the National Action Plan is expected to give a direction to the country and stakeholders on how the problem would be curbed in Tanzania.

 

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