EPN and UON host a public education forum on antimicrobial resistance
Health professionals, medical students, the media and the general public will discuss the importance of preserving the effectiveness of available medicines for future generations
NAIROBI -- The Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network (EPN) and University of Nairobi (UON) College of Health Science, will host a public education forum to discuss the growing problem of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and explore ways of preserving the effectiveness of the available medicines. The public forum will take place on 13th August 2009 at 2.00- 400pm at the University of Nairobi (UON), School of Medicine, Kenyatta National Hospital, Lecture Theatre 3(LT3).
Globally, infectious diseases kill 11 million people annually, 95% of whom live in resource constrained countries. The major life-saving intervention for infectious diseases is antimicrobial treatment. However, antimicrobial resistance is rapidly reducing effectiveness of these life-saving medicines. The problem has rendered many first line treatments ineffective. This is impacting on all infectious diseases including HIV, TB Malaria, pneumonia, neonatal sepsis and among others.
In May 2009 EPN/ReAct launched a Campaign Fight AMR - Save medicines for our children intended to stimulate both global and local actors to take concrete action to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR). During the launch at the 62nd WHA in Geneva, a worried microbiologist from Makerere University Uganda, Dr Florence Najjuka, presented the most shocking data on the consequences of Antimicrobial Resistance. In her study of patients at the Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda, almost half (28 of 62) of patients could not be treated with available antibiotics due to resistance against these medicines - 86% of these patients were newborns. "A significant number of these babies died" says Dr Florence Najjuka. "10 years ago these lives could have been saved, but today the remaining treatment options are way too costly for most parents.
Unless concerted and comprehensive action is taken, valuable agents will continue to be lost leading to higher costs of health care and higher levels of morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases.
The forum will be chaired by Prof. Zipporah W.W. Ngumi, Dean School of Medicine, College of Health Science, University of Nairobi and will feature a number of experts presenting different perspectives of AMR in Kenya.
Contact:
Angela Mutegi
Communications Officer
Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network (EPN)
CHAK Complex - Musa Gitau road, Off Waiyaki Way, Lavington
P. O. Box 749 - 00606
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 254-20-4444832
Fax: 254-20-4441090/4440306
Web site: www.epnetwork.org
mailto:info@epnetwork.org