KEY MESSAGES 

• Antimicrobials (including antibiotics) are natural or synthetic agents that kill microorganisms or stop their growth
• Despite usefulness of antimicrobials in the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases in human and animals, the world is now faced with the threats of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
• The misuse and abuse of antimicrobials in human, animal and crop health practices are the main driving factors to the development and spread of AMR
• The increase and widespread AMR mean that infectious diseases that were once easily treatable can become costly and deadly
• This policy brief provides a summary of the AMR threat associated with human, agriculture and food production systems in Tanzania and suggest steps required to mitigate the situation.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

During the past 10 decades, antimicrobials (including antibiotics) have played an essential role in the treatment of infections in humans and animals and have significantly improved population health. However, over the years several antimicrobial agents have become less or completely ineffective against the targeted disease-causing agents. The misuse and abuse of antimicrobials in human, agriculture and food production practices have been described to be the main driving factors to the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR may cause complicated, untreatable, and prolonged infections in humans, leading to higher healthcare cost and sometimes death. In Tanzania, the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in human health, agriculture and food production systems and the subsequent contamination of the environment has been associated with development and spread of AMR. Moreover, antimicrobial use (AMU) in crops and food-producing animals may leave residues in foodstuffs like fruits, meat, milk, and eggs, hence selecting the resistant organisms. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that there is lack of surveillance programmes on AMU in agriculture and food production systems. Tanzania has developed the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance to address the problem. The success in addressing AMU and AMR will depend on effective implementation of the plan through coordinated one health approach. This policy brief analyses the threat of AMR in human, animals and crops and provides actions to be taken to curb the problem in Tanzania.

THE PROBLEM

Background

Since their discovery, antimicrobials (including antibiotics) have played an essential role in the treatment of infections in humans and animals and have significantly improved population health. However, in recent years, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as among the major global threat to public health systems. Resistance means that an antimicrobial agent becomes less effective, up to becoming completely infective, against disease causing microorganisms it targets. The misuse and abuse of antimicrobials in human, animal and crop health practices have been described to be the main driving factors to the evolution and spread of AMR.