Ghana recorded 2,100 AMR-related deaths in 2019, experts warn of farm-related risks

Source: MyJoyOnline · 2026-11-11T13:16:25.000Z · Health

Ghana recorded an estimated 2,100 deaths attributable to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in 2019, with experts warning that inappropriate antibiotic use in livestock and fish farming could worsen the country's public health burden. Animal health expert Dr Benjamin Kissi Sasu says the misuse of antimicrobials in food production, poor farm hygiene and inadequate waste management could accelerate the spread of drug-resistant infections. He warns that unsafe practices on farms could expose consumers to antibiotic residues in animal products, while contaminated waste could spread resistant organisms through the environment. Speaking on the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance in Ghana's food value chain, Dr Sasu said the issue should concern consumers because animal products form part of many people's diets. "Every human being, or many of us, whether we like it or not, take animal products, either fish or meat or milk or honey," he said. He said farmers without adequate knowledge of antimicrobial use could inadvertently introduce antibiotic residues into food products.

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