A Growing Public Health Emergency

Kenya is facing a deepening public health crisis as common bacterial infections become increasingly resistant to standard antibiotics. This surge in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is rendering once-reliable treatments ineffective, leading to prolonged illnesses, higher healthcare costs, and a significant increase in mortality. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, an estimated 28,500 deaths in Kenya were associated with AMR in 2021, with 6,670 directly attributable to it. Health experts warn that without immediate and decisive action to curb the misuse of antibiotics, the country risks returning to a pre-antibiotic era where routine infections could become fatal.

Alarming Resistance Rates in Kenyan Hospitals

Recent surveillance data presented during World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week in November 2025 painted a grim picture of the situation in Kenyan hospitals. A study across 12 hospitals revealed dangerously high resistance levels for pathogens causing common illnesses like pneumonia, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and bloodstream infections. For instance, Klebsiella pneumoniae, a bacterium notorious for causing infections in newborns, now shows 70-80% resistance to commonly used antibiotics. Similarly, Escherichia coli (E. coli), a primary cause of UTIs, exhibits 60-70% resistance. Dr. Loice Achieng Ombajo, an Infectious Disease Specialist at the University of Nairobi, highlighted that even ceftriaxone, a widely used injectable antibiotic, is now failing in 70% of cases for the most common infections. Worryingly, resistance is also growing against last-resort antibiotics like meropenem, signaling a critical narrowing of treatment options.

The Drivers: Overuse in Humans and Agriculture

The primary driver of this crisis is the widespread misuse and overuse of antibiotics in both human and animal health. In Kenya, it is common for individuals to purchase antibiotics over-the-counter without a prescription, often for viral illnesses like the common cold, against which they are ineffective. This irrational use is compounded by practices within the agricultural sector, where antibiotics are frequently used for disease prevention and growth promotion in livestock rather than solely for treating sick animals. Studies have found multi-drug resistant bacteria, or 'superbugs', in meat and milk sold in major Kenyan supermarkets, indicating a direct link between antibiotic use in farming and risks to human health. A 2024 study noted that 80% of rural households use antibiotics in their livestock, with many administering the drugs themselves without veterinary oversight and failing to observe proper withdrawal periods.

National and Global Response

Recognizing the threat, Kenya has developed a National Action Plan (NAP) on AMR, aligned with the World Health Organization's (WHO) global strategy. The plan, now in its second iteration (2023-2027), adopts a 'One Health' approach, coordinating efforts across human, animal, and environmental health sectors. A National Antimicrobial Stewardship Interagency Committee (NASIC) has been established to oversee its implementation. International partners, including the UK's Fleming Fund, are supporting Kenya in strengthening its surveillance capacity, laboratory infrastructure, and data management systems to better track and respond to AMR trends. Despite these efforts, significant challenges remain, including inadequate funding, gaps in the healthcare infrastructure, limited diagnostic capacity, and the need for greater public awareness.

The East African Context and Global Implications

The challenge of AMR is not unique to Kenya but is a pressing issue across East Africa, exacerbated by factors like poor sanitation, weak regulatory enforcement, and the prevalence of counterfeit medicines. The high burden of infectious diseases in the region, coupled with limited surveillance, means the true scale of the problem is likely under-reported. Globally, the WHO has described AMR as one of the top public health threats of our time. A 2025 WHO report revealed that, worldwide, one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections were resistant to antibiotics in 2023. Projections estimate that AMR could cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050 and trigger catastrophic economic damage if current trends continue. For Kenya and the region, tackling AMR is not only a public health imperative but also crucial for economic stability and achieving universal health coverage.