|
Diseases of bacterial origin are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in low-income countries, like Ghana. Many of these conditions can be prevented with improved personal hygiene, immunization, and environmental sanitation, but antibacterial drugs (the term antibiotic used in this application also covers chemically produced drugs) are still the main therapy for many of them. This key role of antibiotics has led to high levels of antibiotic consumption and spending. In Ghana, antibiotics are available to the public from a variety of sources, including hospitals and pharmacies; licensed medicine stalls and drugstores; markets and roadside stalls and hawkers. They are commonly purchased without a prescription, even when this practice is illegal. This widespread availability has lead to inappropriate use by patients and health care providers, and a steady increase in drug resistance. Today in Ghana, the increase in resistance is costing money, livelihoods, and lives and threatens to undermine the effectiveness of the country’s health delivery programs. However, the magnitude and determinants of the impact of resistance on human health is unknown. Based on the outcome of a project preparation workshop with partner institutions, policy makers and other end-users held in Accra from January 28-29, 2009, the ADMER project will take a multi-disciplinary approach and build the needed research capacity in key stakeholder institutions enabling them to address and propose solutions on how to prevent and control antibiotic resistance.
The development objective of ADMER is:
- Prudent use of antibiotics for improved human health in Ghana.
The specific objectives are:
- Clinical microbiological research capacity, diagnostic services, and surveillance of antibiotic resistance strengthened.
- The knowledge of antibiotic consumption enhanced and the pharmacological quality of human drugs determined
- National network established and knowledge on antibiotic prudent use practices disseminated to end-users.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Page 1 of 4 |
Copyright © 2010 The ADMER Project. All Rights Reserved.
