• Access, Watch and Reserve categories based on how prone they are to becoming resistant.
• 'Access' antibiotics are readily available and are often prescribed for common infections.
Image: FILE
Pharmacists are categorising antibiotics to prevent their overuse and resulting resistance.
Evelyn Wesangula from the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya said antibiotics are categorised as Access, Watch and Reserve categories.
Kenya will be holding this year’s World Antibiotic Awareness Week from Monday in Nairobi.
“Access means they are easily accessible and can be prescribed and used for the right indications in the local health centres or dispensaries,” Wesangula said.
She spoke on Friday during a media briefing on antimicrobial resistance at the International Livestock Research Institute.
Watch list antibiotics are those to watch for because resistance can happen easily and they are also slightly more expensive," Wesangula said.
'A final category of antibiotics is under the reserve list. These are expensive and have the possibility of high toxicity. they are the last resort and only prescribed by doctors in big hospitals where necessary."
Wesangula explained that antibiotics under the access category are readily available and are often prescribed for common infections.
The list will be released next month.
“When it comes to distribution, one cannot send a reserve drug to a health centre or dispensary because chances that it can be misused are high, hence, the need to monitor them,” she added.
Wesangula said categorising will help control how some drugs are used because bacteria are developing resistance faster than new drugs can be developed.
Directorate of Veterinary Services deputy director Dr Allan Azegele said bacteria and other microorganisms that cause diseases in humans and animals are normally treated with antibiotics.
When bacteria no longer respond to the prescribed antibiotic, this is referred to as antimicrobial resistance — AMR.
Collective overuse and misuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals is accelerating AMR, Azegele sad.
"Without working antibiotics, routine surgeries or accidents like cuts could become life-threatening to both human and our animals. We are all at risk of infections from drug-resistant bacteria," he said.
By taking action now — using antibiotics sparingly — we can solve the problems to protect our families and communities, he said.
to avert antibiotic resistance.
Edited by R.Wamochie