Accra: Professor Kwaku Tete Nicholas Dayie of the Department of Medical Microbiology at the University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS) has issued a call to donors to provide resources for the Ghana Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Surveillance System (GASS). He emphasized the need for increased support to address the challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance.
According to Ghana Web, Professor Tete, who spearheaded the establishment of the GASS, highlighted the system's role in analyzing data from laboratories nationwide to combat antimicrobial resistance. However, he expressed concern over the slow progress due to insufficient resources for recruiting personnel, site visits, and advocacy initiatives.
During a public lecture at the UG Great Hall on April 30, 2026, themed 'When Microbes Speak and Data Appear Inconsistent, Are We Witnessing Falsehood or Truth?', Prof Tete reiterated the necessity for donor support. He stressed that while Ghana's surveillance system is advanced, with district-level laboratory data aggregated at the national level for easy analysis, the pace of progress remains hindered by resource constraints.
Prof Tete appealed to potential donors, stating, "In the AMR sector, we need resources to meet regularly, visit sites for training, and sustain our work. I am using this platform to advocate that if there is any donor willing to help the Ministry of Health keep this association active, please come to our aid. We can achieve much more than we have done."
Highlighting his contributions, Prof Tete mentioned that Ghana has developed an integrated strategy for monitoring antimicrobial resistance using a One Health approach. This includes guidelines for resistance detection in the environmental sector and the establishment of standard procedures and manuals for laboratory quality and safety in AMR surveillance. He expressed his privilege in contributing to these advancements.