Antimicrobial resistance in Rwanda stands at 30 percent, officials at Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) have said. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of germs like bacteria, viruses, and fungi to withstand drugs designed to kill them, such as antibiotics. This happens as the germs evolve to survive treatment, making infections harder to treat and posing a global health threat. Factors like the overuse and misuse of medicines have accelerated the process. In Rwanda, the main germs that are becoming harder to treat include those causing pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and skin infections. ALSO READ: What you should know about antimicrobial resistance, an escalating global threat Recently, 13 bacteriology laboratories were established in all provinces of the country to enable the country to track resistance trends more accurately. Dr. Noel Gahamanyi, head of the Microbiology Unit at RBC, told The New Times that the labs support in identifying microbes and guide clinicians on prescribing the right antibiotics. He noted that the age categories more affected by anti-microbial resistance are those aged 55 to 64, followed by 15 to 24. ALSO READ: Rwanda FDA advocates for rational drug use to prevent antimicrobial resistance crisis Despite the achievements related to establishing bacteriology laboratories, Gahamanyi said several gaps exist. For instance, he pointed out that there is no dedicated research on the environmental aspects of AMR. In addition, he said scientists have not sufficiently probed AMR among animals. “Regarding animals, there is only one laboratory operating in Kigali. This is despite the fact that more than 60 per cent of microbes affecting humans originate from animals and livestock,” he said. ALSO READ: RBC warns against drug misuse amid rising antimicrobial resistance “If we intensify efforts only in human health, it seems like we are curbing the effects rather than the causes,” he noted, calling for more investment across all sectors composing one health. Another measure is the One Health initiative, which brings together human health, veterinary and environmental sectors. The initiative recognises that many microbes which originate from animals, infect people, and then return to the environment through human and animal waste. Globally, in 2023, about one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections worldwide was reportedly caused by bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, with resistance highest in urinary tract infections, followed by bloodstream infections.
