Antibiotics and other antimicrobials are failing to cure infectious diseases that were previously managed successful­ly due to the fact that the pathogens (microbes) have developed resistance to the antimicrobials. This situation is referred to as antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

AMR has reached a critical point and has now become a global serious threat to public health, patient care, health-care professionals, and national security. In Tanzania an increase in resis­tant bacteria pathogens have been ob­served among patients in four referral hospitals where more than half of the pathogens causing urinary tract infec­tions, respiratory infections and health care associated infections are resistant to first line antibiotics.

In addition, more than a quarter of these isolates are re­sistant to the more powerful antibi­otics. The increase AMR is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. There is a need for the country to revise its policies and develop surveillance sys­tems for tracking resistant pathogens and the way the antibiotics are used in the country.

For more please click the document attached below.