DAR ES SALAAM: THE public has been urged to avoid mis- using antibiotics to help reduce the risk of developing resistant bacteria and pathogens that can harm patients.
The call was made by Director of Integrated Medical Services at Muhimbili National Hospital, Dr Mbonea Yonazi during the closing of a three-day “Antimicrobial Stewardship Masterclass” for healthcare professionals from hospitals across the mainland and islands held recently at Muhimbili Na- tional Hospital.
The masterclass focused on promoting the responsible use of antibiotics and implementing infection control in healthcare amenities.
Dr Yonazi has encouraged the community to develop the habit of visiting hospitals for proper medical assessments when they encounter health issues, so they can receive accurate diagnoses and appropriate medications from healthcare professionals.
“We strongly emphasise avoiding the misuse of antibi- otics. If you experience health challenges, it’s best to visit a hospital, undergo testing, receive the correct prescription and use the medication properly. Improper antibiotic use carries significant risks, both for individuals and health- care providers if correct prescription practices aren’t fol- lowed,” said Dr Yonazi.
He added: “When patho- gens become resistant, they complicate treatment. Once resistance develops, medication no longer works effectively.
A patient expected to recover in five to seven days may not recover within that timeframe.
Additional diag- nostic tests, alternative medications, or even hospitalisation may become necessary all due to antibiotic-resistant pathogens resulting from im- proper antibiotic use”.
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Dr Yonazi emphasised the importance for healthcare professionals to understand the correct use of antibiotics to improve the health of the patients they serve.
“There has been an increase in resistant pathogens, particularly bacteria.
Health care professionals spent three days developing strategies for responsible antibiotic use to reduce the risk of creating resistant bacteria or pathogens that have adverse effects on patients,” he said.
He added: “These issues are crucial and affect patient outcomes.
Patients admit- ted to hospitals come with their own illnesses that need treatment not to contract additional infections within the hospital, which could either prolong their recovery or lead to further health complications acquired during their stay”.
He said that healthcare professionals from both the mainland and islands, including doctors and nurses, discussed the challenges in their hospitals that hinder efforts to reduce resistance and infection rates within health- care settings.
They developed a plan on how to improve practices within their hospitals and address the identified challenges.
He also urged the trained professionals to apply the skills gained in their respective hospitals to improve service delivery.
“I ask all who received this training to implement the strategies you developed in your hospitals and to collaborate with hospital management.
We believe these strategies will be re- ceived and will bring positive changes in healthcare services,” he said.
He added that the training participants were pre- pared to act as trainers for other healthcare professionals in their respective hospitals, with the expectation that many others would learn through them.
On her part, Tatu Ibrahim from Bukoba Regional Referral Hospital expressed her gratitude for the training, promising to use the skills gained to improve healthcare services in the country
