The Kenya Medical Association (KMA) has warned Kenyans against buying medicine especially antibiotics over the counter.
According to KMA, antibiotic resistance is now one of the three greatest threats to human health.
“Globally, an estimated 214,000 newborns die from septic infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens,” a statement from KMA warned.
Majority of Kenyans access drugs over the counter without doctor's prescription. In 2018, Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board shut down 994 illegal chemists with 89 of those located in Nairobi.
In 2019, 102 illegal chemists were shut down in Nyanza region and 152 shut down in Rift valley region in 2020 while in 2022 the board has already shut down 95 chemists offering over the counter medicines in Kenya.
The ministry of health has previously warned against self medicating noting that they were risking their health by doing that.
"When we do give advice on the use of drugs, we look at the trials which have been done but also we look at the observational data so we advise Kenyans not to be self medicating," Ministry of health warned in August 2020.
According to MoH, the most misused antibiotics are Amoxil and Ampiclox. The drug is often sold to patients complaining of tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and infections.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), abusing antibiotics can cause severe diarrhea illness in children.
“Majority of pediatric Clostridium difficile infections, which are bacterial infections that cause severe diarrhea and are potentially life-threatening, occur among children who use antibiotics frequently,” warns CDC.
National Library of Medicine (NLM) warns that frequent use of antibiotics can also upset sensitive gut flora.
“Antibiotic use can have several negative effects on the gut microbiota, including reduced species diversity, altered metabolic activity, and the selection of antibiotic-resistant organisms,” according to NLM.
Health line explains that Bacteria have evolved defenses against antibiotics through the process of horizontal gene transfer.
“Bacteria passing through the colon can transfer their resistance genes to other forms of bacteria,” the medical journal warns.
World Health Organization (WHO) warns that drug resistant gonorrhea is on the rise due to excess usage of antibiotics.
"The bacteria that cause gonorrhea are particularly smart. Every time we use a new class of antibiotics to treat the infection, the bacteria evolve to resist them," WHO warns.
KMA in a statement stated that, not only should Kenyans be wary of over-the-counter medicine, they should also be vigilant taking prescribed antibiotics.
