Day: April 11, 2022

Harare, Zimbabwe – The first global assessment of the burden of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) revealed that nearly 5 million deaths in 2019[1] were associated with drug-resistant infections. A major driver of AMR is the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in the human and animal health sectors.[2] Zimbabwe, as other countries of the world, has not escaped the negative impact that multidrug-resistant organisms have on health and well-being, food security, environment and economic growth.[3] In addition, the proliferation of counterfeit and unregistered medicines on the informal market coupled with irrational prescribing in the private sector are fuelling the spread of AMR in the country. As an initial step to address the problem, the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) defined the several actions in its National Development Strategy 2021-2025, such as improving access to essential medicines, strengthening the regulation and reinforcing the rationale use of medicines.

The GoZ also included key activities in its National Health Strategy (NHS 2021-2025) that would ensure uninterrupted access to high-quality medicines, such as strengthening the capacities of Hospital Medicines and Therapeutic Committees, enforcing rationale prescribing, dispensing and use of pharmaceutical commodities at all levels. Strengthening antimicrobial stewardship programmes and regular reviews of standard treatment guidelines were also included.

“As the GoZ, we take AMR seriously and it has the highest level of commitment and support from the political leaders. We have done this through supporting the three different ministries (Ministry of Health and Child Care, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development and Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry) that are involved,” noted Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), Chief Director of Public Health (MoHCC AMR Focal Person), Dr M Dobbie.

In support of the efforts by the GoZ, the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) has made tackling the rise of AMR a priority in Zimbabwe’s United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (ZUNSDCF) 2021-2026. The move is a game-changer as it effectively links AMR to the National Development Strategy thus ensuring strong governance, investment and accountability which is important for the long-term sustainability of the AMR programme. This is a significant move forward and builds on the current efforts of the Government to strengthen AMR programming as evidenced by the country’s One Health AMR National Action Plan (NAP 2017-2022) which was launched in September 2017.

Initial implementation of the NAP was delayed due to limited funding and human resource constraints. However, the Tripartite organizations – the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) – in conjunction with the GoZ embarked on resource mobilization efforts that have generated substantial catalytic funds from the AMR Multi-Partner Trust Fund (funded by the Governments of the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom, using UK aid funding through the Fleming Fund). These funds have reinvigorated the implementation of planned activities under the NAP and have signalled a more coordinated approach towards dealing with AMR. Under the aegis of the ZUNSDCSF, the UNCT, in partnership with the GoZ and other stakeholders, will provide strong support towards a coordinated and multi-sectoral ‘One Health’ approach to reduce the burden of AMR in Zimbabwe.

“The strong leadership and commitment of the GoZ to combat the public health and economic threat posed by antimicrobial resistance is already receiving strong support from the Tripartite organizations. The commitment of other members of the UN Country Team in Zimbabwe, including the UN Environment Programme, as expressed in the 2022-2026 United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, will galvanize additional support in this regard” said Dr Alex Gasasira, WHO Representative, Zimbabwe.

Over the next five years the GoZ and the UNCT will collaborate closely to ensure that AMR is addressed as part of the critical national priorities for economic development, climate change, and overall health and wellbeing. This represents a major step forward in both the scale and the significance with which AMR is being addressed in Zimbabwe.

Source: World Health Organization. Africa

Accra/Brazzaville – Noncommunicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are increasingly becoming the main cause of mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, where the diseases were responsible for 37% of deaths in 2019, rising from 24% in 2000 largely due to weaknesses in the implementation of critical control measures including prevention, diagnosis and care. This comes on the eve of a high-level heads of state and health leaders meeting in Ghana to find ways of accelerating progress against noncommunicable diseases.

In Africa, between 50% and 88% of deaths in seven countries, mostly small island nations, are due to noncommunicable disease, according to the 2022 World Health Organization (WHO) Noncommunicable Disease Progress Monitor. The report also finds that in seven other countries – majority of them being Africa’s most populous – the diseases claimed between 100 000 and 450 000 lives annually.

The rising burden of noncommunicable diseases will exert pressure on treatment and care services. In the African region, the number of people living with diabetes, for example, is expected to reach 47 million by 2045 up from 19 million in 2019.

“The growing burden of noncommunicable diseases poses a grave threat to the health and lives of millions of people in Africa: over a third of deaths in the region are due to these illnesses. What is particularly concerning is that that premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases are rising among people younger than 70 years,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

“Decisive action is needed to address the risk factors for noncommunicable diseases for these preventable diseases,” Dr Moeti said today in Accra at the launch of Ghana’s National Noncommunicable Disease Policy which seeks to reduce the risk factors of noncommunicable diseases, enhance early detection, bolster collaboration with other actors and ensure sustainable funding for prevention and control programmes.

The heads of state and health leaders meeting for the inaugural International Strategic Dialogue on Noncommunicable Disease and the Strategic Development Goals on 12 April are expected to agree on an initiative to boost progress towards the key Sustainable Development Goals of reducing mortality from noncommunicable diseases by 30% by 2030. The meeting will also agree on ways to speed up the efforts to achieving the key targets of universal health coverage that include access to quality, safe, effective and affordable health care.

Progress against noncommunicable diseases has also suffered setbacks due to disruptions by the COVID-19 pandemic on essential health services. About 80% of countries in African region reported disruption to at least one health service against noncommunicable disease between May and September 2021. Countries are striving to restore services, although many have not yet been fully re-established.

One of the crucial ways of controlling noncommunicable diseases is by reducing the risk factors which include tobacco consumption, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Improved investment in detection, screening and treatment contributes – notably by ensuring access to health services at the primary level to boost early detection – are the other significant measures to lower the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases.

WHO is providing technical expertise to countries to devise and implement strategies to reduce the preventable and avoidable burden of morbidity, mortality and disability due to noncommunicable diseases and to track progress. The Organization has also developed a set of practical and cost-effective measure that countries can deliver at the primary health level. These emphasize promoting health and preventing disease and include steps such as increasing tobacco taxes; restricting alcohol advertising; reformulating food products with less salt, sugar and fat; vaccinating girls against cervical cancer; as well as treating hypertension and diabetes.

Source: World Health Organization. Africa