Members of the Parliamentary Forum on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) have called on the government to intensify its efforts in enforcing policies and laws related to drug dispensation to patients.
During a workshop on antimicrobial resistance held at Parliament last week on March 21, 2025, MPs emphasized the need for renewed strategies to ensure proper drug prescription, accurate interpretation, preparation, and labelling.
Hon. Dr. Nicholas Thadeus Kamara (FDC, Kabale Municipality), who chaired the meeting, acknowledged that while Parliament has enacted strong laws and policies to address drug dispensation, enforcement remains a significant challenge.
“I urge Local Councils and the National Drug Authority to take stronger action to ensure that drug prescriptions are strictly the responsibility of qualified prescribers. I also call on pharmacists and drug shop operators to dispense only drugs that have been prescribed by doctors,” Kamara stated.
He also stressed the importance of collective action in combating antimicrobial resistance, describing it as a silent pandemic that claims the lives of more than 37,800 Ugandans annually due to drug resistance to bacterial infections.
Elly Nuwamanya, a health economist from the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), who also spoke at the workshop, highlighted the need for ongoing engagement with policymakers to review the current state of antimicrobial resistance and develop strategies to prioritize its containment at both policy and legislative levels.
“According to a study by our Centres for Antimicrobial Optimisation Network, Uganda faces an alarming loss of roughly Shs67 million each year due to antimicrobial resistance,” Nuwamanya noted.
He further emphasized the importance of unified action from all stakeholders to address antimicrobial resistance, warning that without collective efforts, the economic burden will continue to escalate.
Dr. Francis Kakooza, the Head of the Global Health Security Department at IDI, praised the government for presenting a report on the economic impact of antimicrobial resistance, calling it a timely and reassuring step that reflects strong policy commitment aligned with global health security priorities.
Other participants at the workshop included representatives from the Baylor Foundation Uganda, the Ministries of Health and Water, Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS-Uganda), National Health Laboratory and Diagnostic Services, and the National One Health Platform.
The Parliamentary Forum on Antimicrobial Resistance serves as an advocacy body, collaborating with other sectors to ensure that legislators fulfill their roles in addressing the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.
