Awareness of Antimicrobial Resistance among Primary Health Care Workers in Buyende District, Rural Eastern Uganda

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the awareness of antimicrobial resistance among Primary Health Care Workers in Buyende district.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study employing qualitative and quantitative methods. Administration of a questionnaire evaluating knowledge and practices of health workers in Buyende community was conducted. The study was designed to cover all health workers involved in prescribing and dispensing drugs in selected health facilities of Buyende district. The participants were from four health facilities (Kidera Health Center IV, Nkondo Health Center III, Buyende Health Centre III and Miseru Health Center III) and ten private community drug shops. Health care workers were assigned to different cords for the data collection process. One hundred twenty-four (124) respondents participated in the survey, representing a majority of the health workers in Buyende district.

Results: Most respondents (75%) reported receiving information about antibiotic resistance with medical training school (67.2%) being the main source of information. Sixty-six percent (66%) of the participants believed that the widespread use of antibiotics is an important cause of resistance, while 60% attribute antimicrobial resistance to inadequate restrictions on antibiotic prescription due to advertising and promotion by pharmaceutical companies. Guidelines for the use of antibiotics against common infections and regular microbiological consultations/ward rounds were reported as crucial in controlling the problem of anti-microbial resistance. Though most health workers reported following clinical guidelines when prescribing antibiotics (79%), a substantial proportion still prescribed use of antibiotics for the treatment against common cold/cough (64%) and viral infections (44%).

Conclusion: The awareness of anti-microbial resistance is a public health problem in rural Eastern Uganda. Campaigns for appropriate prescription and awareness of anti-microbial resistance should include educating the public and rural health care workers with the aim of decreasing the emergence antibiotic resistant microbes.