The Meru County Government has launched an awareness campaign in Meru town, emphasizing the dangers of drug ignorance, poor hygiene, and inadequate nutrition in contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The team, led by County Health Promotion Officer Susan Muthoni, Director of Public Health Dr. Joshua Meme, and Dr. Lilian Kaloki, emphasizing the importance of residents following doctors’ instructions and strictly following prescribed medications.
The medics pointed out that numerous lifestyle diseases are often caused by patients’ negligence, such as not adhering to prescribed medication, poor hygiene, and unhealthy diets.
“For instance, some individuals unknowingly introduce harmful chemicals into their bodies through improper crop spraying, unsuitable fruits, and poor hygiene practices, leading to serious health risks,” Kaloki stated during the public awareness walk.
Meanwhile, County health promotion officer Susan Muthoni, pointed out that the primary goal of the campaign is to increase public awareness and encourage proactive measures to combat the spread of AMR.
Furthermore, she revealed that antimicrobial resistance can arise from both intrinsic and extrinsic factors when microbes outsmart the medications meant to treat them, calling on and encouraging residents to adhere to high hygiene standards and strictly follow the doctor’s instructions.
Lastly, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), antimicrobial resistance is a global health crisis impacting human and animal health, food production, and the environment. Hence it occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites evolve and become resistant to treatments, making infections harder to manage and increasing the risk of severe illness and death.
By Muguongo Judy
