End the indiscriminate use of antibiotics – Prof Ohene Boabeng

Professor Kwame Ohene Boabeng, a Clinical Pharmacologist and Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science (KNUST), has called for an end to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics to reverse the trend of antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) are microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi which evolve over time and are no longer affected by drugs that should otherwise kill them.

Professor Boabeng made the call at a two-day training workshop for some journalists from various media houses in Accra.

The aim of the training was to enable journalists understand and effectively educate the public on the dangers of misusing antibiotics.

He said statistics from the World Health Organisation, (WHO) indicates that an average of 1,918 people die from AMR on daily.

The situation according to the WHO if not dealt with would escalate to one death per person every minute by 2050.

Prof Boabeng said many tertiary health facilities across the country are recording high incidents of Extended Spectrum Beta Lactonades (ESBL), an enzyme made by some bacteria.

He said ESBL bacteria infections usually occur in the urinary tract, lungs, skin, blood, abdomen, adding that; "one can breathe in the bacteria when a person with an ESBL infection coughs or sneezes nearby.

He said "these classes of bacteria have become resistant to most antibiotics available," hence the need for more efforts to be made to address the situation.

He said there is the need to create awareness on AMR to enlighten the public on essential medicines such as antibiotics and how to use them judiciously.

Professor Boabeng called on regulators to intensify efforts in regulating the use of antibiotics in the country.