Ghana launches national action plan on antimicrobial resistance

ACCRA, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo on Wednesday launched the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) policy and national action plan in a move to tackle the spread of the AMR.

The 5-year Ghana national action plan on AMR seeks to bring together all stakeholders who are affected in any way by AMR to work together in a concerted effort towards health, food and environmental safety.

Antimicrobials are medicines used to prevent and treat microbial infections in humans and animals.

They are in danger of losing their effectiveness due to the phenomenon of the AMR.

AMR is one of the biggest threats to global health development today, as it is rising at an alarming rate around the world, accounting for an estimated 700,000 deaths per year.

Akufo-Addo said Ghana's AMR plan is aligned with the objectives of the global action plan launched in May 2015, calling on all stakeholders to ensure its smooth and hitch-free implementation.

"It is my hope that the committed implementation of the interventions outlined in this document would guarantee the efficacy as well as ensure the responsible use of antimicrobials and thereby preserve them for future generations," he said.

He noted that the government is mobilizing domestic resources to deal with this menace, a mobilization which is integral part of its vision of creating a Ghana beyond aid.

The Country Head of the World Health Organization Owen Kaluwa said he strongly believes the document would guide actions for the containment of AMR in Ghana. Enditem