Ongoing initiatives to improve the use of antibiotics in Botswana: University of Botswana symposium meeting report

ABSTRACT

Background and objective: There are ongoing initiatives in Botswana to enhance appropriate antibiotic use. The objective of this meeting was to discuss ongoing initiatives in Botswana since February 2016 to improve antibiotic use. Subsequently, use the findings to refine national and local action plans.

Method: Presentation and review of ongoing initiatives.

Results:There was a high rate of antibiotic prescribing among ambulatory care patients in the public sector (42.7%) as well as for patients with upper respiratory tract infections in the private sector (72.9%). Prophylactic antibiotics were given to 73.3% of surgical patients to reduce surgical site infections (SSIs) in a leading tertiary hospital in Botswana; however, SSIs at 9% of patients can be reduced further with better timing of antibiotic prophylaxis. To date, 711 patients have been enrolled into the national point prevalence study. Highlighted concerns included limited ordering and use of sensitivity tests despite functional laboratories, as well as concerns with missed doses of antibiotics across most hospitals.

Conclusion: A number of issues and concerns regarding antibiotic use were highlighted. Activities are ongoing across sectors to address identified concerns.

KEYWORDS:

• Antibiotics
• appropriateness
• Botswana
• point prevalence studies
• primary healthcare centres
• SSIs
• URTIs

Declaration of interest

C Tiroyakgosi is employed by the Ministry of Health and Wellness in Botswana. This meeting was in part supported by a VR-Link grant from Swedish Research Council (VR-Link 2013-6710) to Amos Y Massele. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

The manuscript was not funded.