By Kumba Leigh
Haruna S. Jallow, Antimicrobial Resistance Focal Person, Principal Lab Scientist, and Head of National Biology Lab, Public Health, Ministry of Health of The Gambia, has lamented the fact that the country may be losing most of its antibiotics like Septrin and Ampicillin due to resistance. “It is scary to find out that Septrin is not working for some patients,” he stated.
Jallow said he feared for the imminence of outbreaks amidst the fact that most of the bacteria discovered are resistant to treatment.
Anti-microbial Resistance (AMR) is a global phenomenon. According to the Africa CDC 2024 report, there is an estimated 700,000 people dying annually from drug-resistant infections globally and this is projected to reach 10 million by 2050, with Africa accounting for 4.5 million, unless timely intervention is made.
In a recently concluded UN meeting, countries were tasked to come up with regular AMR reports, because it is realised that millions of people are being lost, and many from arbitrary death due to AMR.
Commenting on the contributing factors, Jallow mentioned that non- adherence to medical prescriptions plays a major part.
On the measures, the Principal Lab Scientist revealed that they are working on meeting with the Pharmacy Department, and that by May 2025 they will organise training on IPC.
Mr Jallow said they are using the ‘One Health Approach’, which entails an established team of responders, comprising of stakeholders from ministries like Fisheries, Agriculture; as well as NARI, Food Safety and Quality Authority, and Health Promotion, for the awareness creation. He revealed that through the help of WHO, they have developed a national action plan, and trained personnel on tools and the knowledge of strengthening laboratory areas to combat AMR, as well as investigations skills to determine patients that are resistant to some particular antibiotics; and the clinicians on the choice of drugs to treat the patients.
The Antimicrobial Resistance Focal Person emphasised the need to have in place fully-equipped antimicrobial testing labs to help identify level of resistance, and to recommend the right medication.
