Experts Sound Alarm as Kenya Steps up War on Drug-Resistant Infections

By Mbungu Harrison

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

Kenya has reaffirmed its commitment to combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), warning that the growing threat of drug-resistant infections could undermine universal health coverage, economic growth and national health security if urgent action is not taken.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is killing more people in Africa than tuberculosis, malaria and HIV combined, health experts have warned.

The warning was issued during the Kenya National AMR Conference 2026 held in Mombasa under the theme: “Data That Counts: Working Together to Tackle AMR in Kenya” bringing together government officials, scientists, policymakers, development partners and county leaders.

Professor Sam Kariuki, continental lead for the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative and a senior researcher at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri), said drug-resistant infections account for about 27.5 deaths in every 1,000 recorded in Africa.

“AMR is not a disease you can see, but it causes death because infections such as malaria, tuberculosis or typhoid can no longer be treated using available antibiotics,” he said. “It is a faceless problem, yet its impact is huge.”

According to him Covid-19 claimed about 3.6 million lives globally during the pandemic with antimicrobial resistance-related illnesses killed nearly five million people in the same period despite receiving far less public attention.

Common diseases such as typhoid fever, cholera and bacterial bloodstream infections are increasingly difficult to treat because of widespread resistance, threatening the delivery of basic healthcare services across the country.

Professor Jay Berkley, a paediatric infectious disease specialist with over 30 years of experience working in the Coast region, said Kenya urgently needs strong surveillance systems to track resistance patterns in hospitals, communities and agricultural settings.

“We need to know what is happening in our own settings to find solutions,” he said adding that resistance levels vary significantly between rural health facilities and intensive care units, requiring treatment approaches guided by local data.

He said research is ongoing at Kemri and other institutions to discover new antibiotics and identify existing drugs that remain effective.

Dr Irungu Kamau, head of the Division of Infection Prevention and Control and Antimicrobial Resistance at the Kenya National Public Health Institute, identified over-the-counter drug sales, poor veterinary practices and failure to complete prescribed doses as key drivers of resistance.

“We are exposing bacteria and viruses to traces of antimicrobials, allowing them to develop resistance that spreads between humans, animals and the environment,” Dr Kamau said calling for a One Health approach that integrates human, animal and environmental health.

Kemri Board chairman Dr Abdullahi Ali said Kenya must now move beyond policy formulation to practical implementation, particularly at the county level.

“Antimicrobial resistance is not only a scientific concern; it is a governance and policy challenge that demands sustained oversight and decisive action,” he said, noting that while Kenya has developed a strong policy and institutional framework on AMR, implementation remains uneven.

He cited gaps such as limited surveillance coverage, weak use of AMR data in decision-making and fragmented accountability across institutions.

The doctor warned that AMR poses a direct threat to Kenya’s goals of universal health coverage, pandemic preparedness and health security, while also undermining social and economic development.

“Addressing AMR requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach that goes beyond the health sector,” he said, emphasising the importance of the One Health approach.

He said Kemri has established a fully fledged One Health programme to support multidisciplinary research and remains committed to generating credible, policy-relevant evidence to support the National Action Plan on AMR.

“Data that counts must inform policy, clinical practice, investment decisions and regulation,” Dr Ali said, calling for sustained investment in infection prevention, antimicrobial stewardship and stronger regulation of drug use.

Prof Kariuki said simple preventive measures remain underutilised, noting that proper handwashing, sanitation and hygiene could reduce infections by nearly 50 per cent. He also highlighted the importance of vaccines against typhoid, cholera and childhood respiratory infections.

He pointed to stark inequalities in access to antibiotics, with urban residents able to buy drugs without prescriptions, while children in rural areas die from treatable infections due to lack of basic medicines.

Dr Ali warned against improper drug use, saying even common medicines such as paracetamol can cause serious harm when misused.

“There is nothing like a half dose or a quarter dose. When given a prescription, take medicine exactly as instructed,” he said, adding that misuse of drugs in livestock production also fuels resistance when contaminated meat enters the food chain.

The experts called for coordinated awareness campaigns involving political leaders, religious institutions, teachers and communities to educate the public on antimicrobial resistance.

“We need data that moves people to act, not just data for reporting,” Prof Kariuki said.