Health Ministry launches ICARS to address antibiotics use in surgery

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Resolutions (ICARS), has launched the “Identifying and Resolving Challenges with Antibiotic Use in Surgery” project.

The initiative aims to identify and address issues related to the use of antibiotics in surgery.

The project is also geared towards ensuring that healthcare professionals follow established guidelines for antibiotic use in surgery, assessing and optimising antibiotic prescribing patterns in both preoperative and postoperative settings.

It also aims to ensure infection prevention and control measures to lower the incidence of Surgical Site Infections (SSIs).

In his remarks at the launching ceremony, the Chief Director of the Health Ministry, Alhaji Hafiz Adam, said the project would not be just a research initiative but a critical step towards safeguarding the health of the nation.

“By working together, we can make significant strides in combating Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), ensuring safer surgical practices and improving health outcomes for all Ghanaians”, he said.

According to him, Research has shown that Ghana faces high rates of SSIs, with infection rate averaging 12.6%, compared to a global rate of just 2.5%.

These infections, he noted, are often caused by bacteria that are resistant to commonly used antibiotics, making them harder to treat and leading to longer hospital stays and higher medical costs.

The Chief Director also the ICARS project steering committee and urged the members to effectively execute their roles in providing oversight and guidance to see to the success of the project.

On her part, a principal investigator for ICARS, Prof. Antoinette Bediako-Bowan, said the Ministry is currently focusing on educating and providing healthcare practitioners with guidelines on how, when and when not to use antibiotics during surgery.

That, she said, would ensure that healthcare practitioners strictly adhere to the guidelines to avoid the overuse of antibiotics, especially during surgical procedures.