Fund fight against antimicrobial resistance, experts urge Kenya
Medical experts in Kenya are calling for increased government funding to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is identified as a major public health threat. Despite having a national action plan, implementation is stalled due to a lack of dedicated financial resources.
Why it matters
AMR is a critical global health issue; the lack of funding in developing nations like Kenya poses a significant risk to public health outcomes.
Kenya National Public Health Institute national AMR focal point Dr Emmanuel Tanui speaks in Mombasa / CHARLES MGHENYI Medical experts have warned that antimicrobial resistance is becoming one of Kenya's biggest public health threats.
They are calling for increased government funding and stronger coordination to prevent thousands more deaths linked to drug-resistant infections.
Researchers say the misuse and overuse of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines in humans, livestock and agriculture are accelerating resistance, making once-effective treatments less able to fight infections.
According to health researchers, AMR contributed to 6,670 deaths in Kenya in 2021, while another 28,500 deaths were associated with drug-resistant infections.
The warning was issued during a two-day national summit on antimicrobial resistance in Mombasa, convened by the Ministry of Health through the Kenya National Public Health Institute and the Kenya Medical Research Institute.
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