Nakuru centres youth in World Antimicrobial Awareness week plan

Nakuru County will this month roll out a series of activities to mark World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) 2025, as stakeholders intensify efforts to curb the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

AMR is a situation where microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to drugs meant to kill them.

This is caused by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in human medicine, agriculture, and aquaculture, accelerating this process.

The week-long campaign, running from November 18 to 24, will bring together health workers, students, farmers, and environmental officers in a coordinated push to raise public awareness on the responsible use of antibiotics and other antimicrobials.

Themed “Preventing antimicrobial resistance together,” the activities will begin with a youth-led walk on November 18, bringing together students from KMTC and Egerton University, as well as health workers and community volunteers.

The walk aims to mobilize young people as change agents in promoting prudent antibiotic use.

On November 19, the county will launch the County AMR Steering and Implementation Committee (CASIC) work plan, bringing together key partners from the human, animal, and environmental health sectors — a clear nod to the One Health approach guiding Nakuru’s AMR interventions.

The highlight of the week will be the AMR Symposium at Kabarak University on November 20, expected to feature experts who will lead discussions on emerging resistance patterns, surveillance, and local interventions.

To complement these events, community and facility-level talks on AMR will run throughout the week, targeting health workers, farmers, climate change officers, and community health promoters.

According to officials from the Department of Health, this decentralized approach ensures that conversations on antimicrobial stewardship reach both professionals and the public.

The week will culminate in a farmers’ graduation at the Agricultural Training and Development Centre (ATDC) on November 25, recognizing those trained on prudent antimicrobial use in livestock production.

Health officials say Nakuru’s multi-sectoral approach demonstrates growing awareness of the AMR crisis and the need for concerted action across sectors.

“We all have a role to play — from farmers and clinicians to the youth and policymakers. Antimicrobial resistance threatens not just our health systems but also food security and livelihoods,” says Dr. Lydia Momanyi, a clinical pharmacist at Nakuru Referral and Teaching Hospital and the county antimicrobial stewardship focal person, noting that community education remains at the heart of the campaign.