Ghana is facing a mounting public health threat as doctors and researchers warn of a sharp rise in antibiotic resistance across the country. Hospitals are increasingly reporting cases in which infections fail to respond to standard treatments, forcing clinicians to cycle through multiple drugs with limited success.
Dr. Richard Phillips, a leading infectious disease expert at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and one of the researchers tracking the trend, says the growing resistance has reached “deeply troubling levels.” He notes that several common bacteria now withstand many of the antibiotics that previously worked reliably, creating treatment failures and longer hospital stays.
Recent reviews of samples from hospitals, farms and water bodies have found high levels of multidrug resistance among organisms such as E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. In many studies, resistance to widely used antibiotics such as ampicillin and tetracycline exceeds 80 percent. Health workers say the consequences are already evident: rising costs of care, longer recovery times and higher risks of complications.
Experts attribute the surge to several factors. Self-medication remains widespread, with many people buying antibiotics without prescriptions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, antibiotic use surged further despite the drugs being ineffective against viral infections. Weak infection-control systems in some health facilities and limited laboratory capacity have made the situation more difficult. Where hospitals cannot identify the specific bacteria causing an illness, clinicians often rely on broad-spectrum drugs, which fuel resistance. Studies also show that resistant bacteria circulate in animals and the environment, suggesting the problem is broader than clinical practice alone.
In the past two years, Ghana has begun taking steps to slow the trend. The Ministry of Health and its partners have launched projects to improve surgical infection prevention and promote more responsible antibiotic use. Training programmes have also helped researchers turn scientific findings into practical measures for policymakers and the public. Some hospitals, supported by external partners, have strengthened links between clinicians and microbiology laboratories, helping doctors prescribe based on evidence rather than trial and error.
Despite these efforts, specialists warn that resistance is spreading faster than the response. Dr. Phillips and others argue that confronting the crisis requires a coordinated national strategy that connects human health, veterinary services and environmental management. Strengthening laboratories, enforcing prescription-only access to antibiotics, improving sanitation and educating the public on the dangers of misuse are seen as urgent priorities.
Without decisive action, they caution, infections that used to be routine could become harder or even impossible to treat.
Health officials say the stakes are high and that Ghana, like many countries, risks entering a period where common illnesses pose far greater danger than they should.
