In the newest issue of From the Horses Mouth, Nkatha Gitonga delivers a powerful interrogation of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in Kenya, drawing from her extensive public health work and research expertise. Gitonga, a clinical pharmacist and program strategist, asserts that AMS progress must be evidence-driven and locally rooted—not merely imported.
She reveals significant strides in Kenya’s AMS landscape, particularly in leadership engagement, governance structures, and training. Facilities with AMS committees showed improved prescribing practices and better adherence to guidelines. Yet, persistent challenges—like poor antimicrobial consumption tracking, underused microbiology services, and the minimal integration of digital tools—threaten long-term sustainability.
Gitonga’s most surprising discovery was the low use of available microbiology labs, attributed to slow turnaround times and ingrained habits of empirical prescribing. This finding underscores a broader issue: AMS must extend beyond core committees and embrace IT experts, clinicians, and diagnostic specialists.
Her work fills a critical gap in AMS policy implementation, offering empirical insight and calling for cross-sectoral coordination to address AMR holistically. Moving forward, she advocates for Africa-tailored solutions, regional data-sharing, and scalable interventions to transform stewardship into action.
Nkatha Gitonga’s study on AMS in Kenya highlights local success, persistent gaps, and urgent policy needs. Her call for Africa-led, multisectoral stewardship solutions resonates powerfully in global AMR discourse.
Read her full interview below
