Health Experts Raise Concerns Over Antibiotic Misuse

Health professionals in Kenya are increasingly warning of a dangerous trend: the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, which is fueling a growing public-health threat known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). During a sensitization event at Murang’a Level 5 Hospital, clinical pharmacist Dr. Loise Kariuki cautioned that non-prescribed use of antibiotics could render these life-saving drugs ineffective. Experts also flagged another critical concern: the widespread use of antibiotics in farming. They noted that residues from livestock treated with antibiotics may enter the human food chain, further driving resistance.
A recent study by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has laid bare deeper systemic problems. Researchers found that many hospitals lack the laboratory capacity to detect drug-resistant infections, with only about half of facilities able to conduct microbial cultures. In addition, only a small fraction of hospitals maintain antibiograms — tools that track local bacterial resistance — and very few have functional antimicrobial stewardship committees Without robust diagnostics, doctors are often forced to prescribe antibiotics without knowing whether they’ll work — a practice that experts say is driving resistance.
The misuse of antibiotics isn’t limited to human health. Animal-welfare experts are raising the alarm about unregulated antibiotic use in livestock farming. Dr. Patrick Muinde from World Animal Protection pointed out that farmers often give antibiotics to animals as a routine preventative measure or to promote growth — both practices that can give rise to resistant bacteria. Meanwhile, veterinary officers are urging farmers to respect withdrawal periods (the time to wait before consuming products from animals treated with antibiotics) to limit exposure in humans.
In response to the threat, Kenya has put in place several measures. In October 2024, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board launched the Kenya Surveillance System for Antimicrobial Consumption (KESAC), a national platform to track how antibiotics and other antimicrobials are used.Health authorities are also urging Kenyans to stop self-medicating and only take antibiotics when prescribed by a qualified medical professional. Looking ahead, experts hope that stronger public-awareness campaigns, better regulation in both health and agriculture sectors, and improved diagnostics will help slow down the rise of drug-resistant infections.