Uganda’s Regina Kamoga Wins Global Recognition for Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance

Ugandan health advocate Regina Mariam Namata Kamoga has been named among eight Global Female Trailblazers recognised for their efforts to combat Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), a growing threat to global health.

Kamoga, the Executive Director of the Community Health and Information Network (CHAIN), received the recognition on February 17 in Sydney, Australia, under a global programme led by the Fleming Initiative in partnership with CSIRO.

She was selected alongside seven other women leaders from Jordan, the United Kingdom, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, the United States, India and Lebanon following a competitive global selection process that recognised women leading action against antimicrobial resistance.

Speaking to journalists at CHAIN offices in Namulonge, Kamoga said the recognition highlights the critical role communities must play in tackling antimicrobial resistance.

“Antimicrobial resistance is quietly threatening the medicines that modern healthcare depends on. When antibiotics stop working, even simple infections become dangerous, and many life-saving medical procedures become much riskier,” she said.

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria and other germs become resistant to medicines such as antibiotics, making infections harder to treat.

According to the World Health Organization, antimicrobial resistance directly caused about 1.27 million deaths globally in 2019 and contributed to nearly five million deaths. The organisation also estimates that one in six bacterial infections worldwide is now resistant to antibiotics.

Kamoga said the situation is particularly worrying in Africa, where the burden remains high.

“Africa records the highest mortality rate from antimicrobial resistance globally, with about 27.3 deaths per 100,000 people, exceeding the combined deaths from HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria,” she noted.

In Uganda, she said the growing problem is largely driven by the misuse of antibiotics and weak regulation.

“In Uganda, the threat is growing steadily, driven by unregulated access to antibiotics, self-medication, poor adherence to prescriptions, inappropriate prescribing, and widespread antibiotic use in livestock and poultry production,” Kamoga explained.

She also highlighted low health literacy and misinformation in communities as major challenges.

“Low health literacy affects people’s ability to make informed health decisions. Many end up using substandard medicines or seeking care from unqualified providers, while misinformation discourages people from accessing proper healthcare,” she said.

Kamoga called on the government to increase funding to support the implementation of Uganda’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance.

“We have a very comprehensive National Action Plan with five strategic actions, but implementation remains limited due to inadequate funding. Government needs to deliberately prioritise antimicrobial resistance so that awareness and prevention efforts can reach communities,” she said.

Nathan Muyinda, a medical trainer at CHAIN, said the recognition should strengthen efforts to address antimicrobial resistance across different sectors.

“In the past, we thought antimicrobial resistance was mainly a problem for health workers, but we now understand that it goes far beyond that. It involves farmers, food vendors, communities and many other actors,” he said.

He warned that the misuse of antibiotics in livestock farming is also contributing to the growing crisis.

“Farmers are giving antibiotics to chickens and pigs simply to increase production. When people consume such meat, they are indirectly exposed to these drugs, which contributes to resistance,” Muyinda added.

Meanwhile, CHAIN programmes manager Gladys Mary Nalukenge emphasised the need for prevention and stronger national support.

“Governments and stakeholders must commit adequate funding to fully implement the National Action Plan so that communities are protected and antibiotics remain effective,” she said.

Through its community programmes, CHAIN promotes responsible use of medicines, hygiene practices and public awareness about antimicrobial resistance. The organisation also runs school-based initiatives aimed at educating children about proper medicine use.

Health experts say such community-led interventions are critical in protecting the effectiveness of antibiotics and preventing antimicrobial resistance from becoming a major public health crisis.

By Nile Post.