04 Sep 2023

Antimicrobial resistance has become a global threat and international bodies such as World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), Food Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and World Health Organization had come together to prevent the scourge, principal scientific officer from Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Kebitselepe Motsele, has said.

Mr Motsele cautioned farmers against irrational use of veterinary drugs in livestock production as it can result in development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

He said the WHO had indicated that in 2050, 10 million people would lose their lives because of ARM. In Africa, the condition could lead to 4.5 million deaths every year hence WOAH emphasised that good animal welfare required disease prevention and appropriate veterinary care, management, a stimulating and safe environment.

Mr Motsele made the remarks on Friday when presenting to Ngamiland farmers on the general principle in the use of antibiotics and dangers of irrational use of antimicrobials. It was a global challenge that antimicrobials were losing their effectiveness in a pace unforeseen in just 5-10 year ago.

AMR, he said, was a growing threat which was exacerbated by overuse of drugs and as a result of the drug resistance, infections spread and become harder to treat.

He advised farmers to always engage qualified practitioner for treatment to ensure correct and appropriate use of medicine, in the proper dose for an adequate period of time and at the lowest cost to them and the community.

“We all have a duty and responsibility to the public to ensure that the right drug is prescribed, dispensed and taken,” he said. “Improving drug use improves the quality of care.”

He added that antibiotics were the most commonly prescribed drugs today hence rational use was extremely important as its use could adversely affect animals and cause emergence of antibiotic resistance and increase the cost of health care.

He cautioned the farmers to be considerate in selection of antibiotics as age and body mass of animals were important factors. Farmers were called on to differentiate medical drugs used to cure animals from vaccines used for prevention or to fight diseases.

During rainy seasons, kraals become wet and to prevent animals from being infested with foot rot bacteria, farmers should remove animal waste (motshotelo) or construct temporary kraals. As such, there was no need to use medical drugs which could end up causing antimicrobial resistance.

Since Ngamiland region faced a number of disease outbreaks, Mr Motsele advised farmers to ensure 100 per cent vaccination for Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), lumpy skin among others.

He urged them to use medication or vaccines approved by Botswana Medical Regulatory Authority (BOMRA).

The Principal Veterinary Officer, Dr Thito Seomile, concurred that AMR was a serious concern hence they saw it fit to teach farmers on how to use drugs and their side effects.

He advised farmers to have resources such as scale and thermometers and always report any suspicious disease to authorities, so they could do physical examination and prescribe appropriate medication.

For their part, farmers appreciated information shared, which they said enhanced their knowledge as far as management of livestock was concerned.

However, they called on government to increase veterinarians in the region saying they had been working with temporary officers who could not take decisions to improve their production.

“As farmers we can master proper administration and use of medicines if we work closely with veterinarians in our extension areas and eventually avoid antimicrobial resistance,” Mr Mokadi Masedi, said.

Mr Masedi decried shortage of livestock drugs in the district saying they could have achieved a lot in disease prevention.

Cattle farming, he said, was naturally the main source of income in the region hence it should be given priority as it also contribute to the economy. ENDS