Antibiotics not for treatment of viral infections –health expert cautions public

Members of the public have been cautioned against using antibiotics to treat viral infections such as colds, flu and sore throats, as the practice contributes significantly to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the country.
Paediatric Specialist at the Princess Marie Louise Hospital, Dr Abena Kaare Aduful, who gave the advice, said about 70 per cent of viral infections do not require antibiotics, and their continuous misuse for such illnesses is promoting rising ineffectiveness of the medicines.
“Most viral infections are self-limiting and clear on their own, so antibiotics are unnecessary. I know we believe that antibiotics are powerful medications and can cure everything, but antibiotics are not always the answer, and they can actually be a problem,” she warned.

Dr Aduful spoke to the Ghanaian Times at the climax of a two-day AMR conference in Accra yesterday on the theme: “Act Now for Ghana: Protect Our Health, Secure Our Future through One Health Action on AMR.”
Organised by the Veterinary Services Ghana (VSG) in partnership with the Fleming Fund, a UK aid programme supporting AMR response in Africa, the conference brought together experts, fellows and stakeholders across human, animal and environmental health to discuss efforts in accelerating the fight against AMR.
Dr Aduful, who is also a Fleming Fund Fellow, recommended the dissemination of the modified “WHO AWaRE Classification” guidelines across all health facilities to support doctors in determining when antibiotics are truly needed.
With regard to children, the Family Physician advised parents to avoid self-medication and seek proper medical assessment when their children show signs of fever, cold or throat infections.
“Giving your child antibiotics when they don’t need them can make them ineffective when the child truly needs them.
Don’t rush to give antibiotics to your child. Get the right diagnosis and the right treatment. It’s the best way to protect your child from complications and preserve antibiotics for the future,” she urged.
A Senior Veterinary Officer at the National Food Safety Laboratory of the VSG, Dr Benjamin Sasu, also highlighted the economic and food security risks associated with AMR.
He explained that failing drugs expose farmers to significant losses, animal deaths and the risk of unsafe food entering the market.
Dr Sasu stressed the urgent need to expand veterinary diagnostic capacity nationwide to improve AMR testing.
About 5,000 people in Ghana die annually due to AMR with an additional 23,000 deaths linked to drug-resistant infections.
In 2019, AMR was directly responsible for about 1.27 million deaths worldwide, and contributed to a total of 4.95 million deaths.
The condition occurs when bacteria, viruses or parasites no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of complications or death.
Recent surveillance in Ghana indicates that several first-line antibiotics are failing, with resistance now emerging to some second-line treatments.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH