Accra, Nov. 25, GNA- Health experts have called for a shift towards localising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) research in Ghana.
According to them, Ghana's unique health landscape requires home-grown data and solutions to counter the growing threat.
The call was made by key figures of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana during the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2025 celebration at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) on the theme, "Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future."
The event featured three scientific research findings including a point prevalence survey of antibiotic use at the 37 Military Hospital and a study on integrating outpatient antibiotic use and resistance data to guide stewardship in Ghana.
Professor Irene Kretchy, Dean, University of Ghana School of Pharmacy, delivering the keynote address, underscored the urgency with a stark and grim global data on increasing antimicrobial resistance
She revealed that bacterial AMR was directly responsible for over 1.1 million deaths globally in 2021.
"Today, more than a million people die each year due to AMR. And one in six bacterial infections worldwide no longer responds to standard antibiotics," Prof. Kretchy stated.
She noted that externally developed solutions might not fully address Ghana's context-specific needs and challenges, stressing Ghana's unique microbial ecosystem and prescribing behaviours.
Prof. Kretchy stressed that local research is not a luxury but a necessity.
"Without data, we are blind. Without evidence, we cannot build sustainable solutions," she said.
The Dean added that the University of Ghana was committed to training leaders who drove research and shaped policy to champion antimicrobial stewardship.
Globally, AMR was directly responsible for over 1.1 million deaths in 2021, a figure which is rising daily.
Locally in Ghana, the burden is severe, an estimated 4,910 deaths were directly attributable to AMR in 2021, with an additional 23,100 deaths associated with drug-resistant infections.
Recent surveillance also indicates that resistance to commonly used first-line antibiotics, such as ampicillin and tetracycline, can exceed 80 per cent among key pathogens in the human, animal, and environmental sectors.
Dr. Paul Donkor, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), emphasised that the fight against AMR requires incremental, localised actions.
He commended UGMC for its innovative approach, including a poster competition for school children, which he described as "forward-looking."
Dr. Abdul Samed Tanko, the Chief Executive Officer of UGMC, reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Programmes as a core component of high-quality care.
He noted that every prescription and infection prevention step "contributes to the global stewardship effort" and added that the management of UGMC would continue to invest in the systems, training, and collaborations needed to strengthen this effort.