Members of the Parliamentary Forum on Antimicrobial Resistance have urged medical institutions to standardize Continuous Medical Education (CME) programs to curb the irrational use of antibiotics.
During a visit to Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital to evaluate its efforts in addressing the growing issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the Forum’s Chairperson, Charles Ayume, emphasized the need for ongoing assessments of private clinics.
He also pointed out that maternal units in certain health facilities are among the highest consumers of antibiotics.
“The trend is there. The unreasonable prescription of such medicines could worsen resistance if private clinics do not get continuous medical education programmes,” Ayume said.
Nicholas Kamara (FDC, Kabale Municipality) emphasised the urgent need to equip Entebbe Hospital with an anti-biogram which presents as a critical tool for informing antibiotic prescriptions.
An antibiogram is a summary report that displays the percentage of bacterial isolates within a specific healthcare setting susceptible to various antimicrobial agents and helps clinicians to choose the most effective antibiotics to treat infections.
“Some drugs that had been neglected like chloramphenicol are now proving effective again amongst our population. However, without an anti-biogram, it is difficult to track these changes,” he noted.
Sarah Netalisire (NRM, Namisindwa District Woman Representative), raised concerns over the inconsistency of medical supplies that hinders effective AMR management.
“The hospital seems to be progressing well in their work but we need clarity on the supply chain for antimicrobial services. Does the hospital receive enough resources to sustain this fight?” she asked.
The MPs recommended that the hospital benchmarks best practices from other referral hospitals to enhance its AMR response, as well as line up focal persons to ensure adherence to AMR protocols.
Dr. Edward Kiyonga, a laboratory technologist at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital said the facility has expanded its diagnostic reach through working on samples received from surrounding districts like Mpigi and Wakiso, through the hub system.
“Last year, we worked on over 800 samples, and we project over 1,000 this year. This has improved decision-making on which antibiotics to prescribe,” Dr. Kiyonga said.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites evolve to resist the effects of medicines, rendering common treatments ineffective and increasing the risk of severe illness, prolonged hospital stays, and death.
