KHRC discusses antibiotic access and use on a community Radio

June 06, 2023 | News | Reading time: 3 min

The Kintampo Health Research Centre through the Antibiotic Access and Use (ABACUS II) study held a radio discussion on ADARS FM in Kintampo on the 31st May, 2023 to educate the public on antibiotics, the risk involved in taking them inappropriately and antibiotic resistance

The resource persons including Dr. Samuel Afari-Asiedu, Dr Samuel Ekow Harrison and Pharm. Ato Wilson took this opportunity to let the public know that antibiotics are important medicines that are used to treat or prevent bacteria infections. However, antibiotics are becoming less effective for treating diseases (antibiotic resistance) because of inappropriate access and use especially at the community level where about 80% of antibiotics are used.

The team revealed that, a recent study in Kintampo districts showed that inappropriate antibiotic use was high (86%). The study showed that inappropriate antibiotic use was high because some people have still not registered with the national health insurance and buy antibiotics from counter medicine sellers sometime in incomplete doses (Scientific Publications – ABACUS project (abacus-project.org)).

According to the research scientist inappropriate antibiotic use include any forms of use that are not in line with internationally accepted standards of care, including but not limited to: taking antibiotics without prescription, not completing the course, taking an insufficient dose, taking antibiotics for wrong indications and sharing antibiotics. It was also revealed that antibiotics were used inappropriately because most community members do not know what antibiotics are and antibiotics are sometimes confused with other medicines in capsules with similar colours. Community members were therefore encouraged to desist from using antibiotics without prescription and always make it a point to visit the health facility when they are sick.

The research scientist revealed that through an international collaborative study (ABACUS II project) funded by the Wellcome Trust, KHRC and other research/academic institutions in Africa, Asia, Europe and the UK have been exploring the case for a standardized appearance of oral antibiotics. Finding this study will improve identification of antibiotics and contribute to appropriate antibiotics use.

The discussion was ended with a phone session where callers commended the team for the good health education on antibiotic and encouraged the team to repeat the session from time to time.