As demand for animal protein for human consumption is rising globally at an unprecedented rate, modern animal production practices are associated with regular use of antimicrobials, potentially increasing selection pressure on bacteria to become resistant.
Indeed irrational use of medicines and application of antibiotics in livestock and fish feeds for growth promotion are major factors behind alarming rate of antimicrobial resistance crisis in the country.
The government should be working on plans to ensure pharmacists and veterinary officers in the country understand their roles and maintain professional ethics for irrational use of drugs at times is done knowingly and problem is quite huge in the country.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change in ways that render the medications used to cure the infections they cause ineffective. When the microorganisms become resistant to most antimicrobials they are often referred to as “superbugs”.
In spite of numerous efforts by the government in addressing the challenge, it is estimated that huge per cent of human medicines in Tanzania are prescribed, dispensed and sold incorrectly whereby self-medication, overuse and failure to finish dozes remains a common habit among most patients.
The grim statistics, to a large extent, is said to have been attributed by unprofessionalism among most pharmaceutical experts to distribute medicines to patients without doctors’ descriptions.
In the same vein, professionally, pharmacies are supposed to be served by pharmaceutical technicians, pharmacists and pharmaceutical dispensers but very unluckily this is not the case in Tanzania.
If not contained, the poor trend will force the government to incur a huge damage, in terms of diminishing of human labour force and expenses of introducing new medicines frequently.
Last month, various health specialists gathered for at least four days to deliberate how best we can address the challenge of irrational use of medicine.
Dodoma based organisation, health promotion and system strengthening (HPSS) in its 2016 research established that 76.5 per cent of people purchased medicines at varied pharmacies without doctor’s description whereby at least 32.1 per cent obtained antibiotics for animal feeding.
Key findings of the research conducted in Dodoma and Chemba districts showed that at least 49.4 per cent of patients directed doctors over the type of medicines they wanted to use. This is also wrong.
We call for a serious country-wide awareness campaign against antimicrobial resistance from household’s levels.
Tanzanians stands a chance to contact with antimicrobial resistance crisis through eating meat with antimicrobials as well as through infected animal dung and milk.
The Tanzania pharmaceutical students association (TAPSA ) antibiotic resistance holiday campaign’ targeted to raise relevant awareness to 22 regions across the country.
We commend this voluntary campaign which will be conducted by 122 TAPSA’s ambassadors from various local varsities who had resolved to carry out the programme during the holiday.
It is no doubt it complements the government in realising the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2017-2022.
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