Noguchi researcher warns of rising antibiotic resistance in Ghana
A Senior Research Fellow at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Professor Beverly Egyiri, has raised an alarm over the growing threat of antibiotic resistance in Ghana. Speaking at NMIMR’s Annual Research Meeting on November 25, 2025, she explained that many infections no longer respond to available antibiotics, leading to treatment failures and preventable deaths.
She said the problem has been worsened by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, easy access to the drugs without prescriptions, weak infection control systems, and the indiscriminate use of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to her, some bacterial samples from African hospitals are now resistant to almost all antibiotic options, including last-resort treatments.
Prof. Egyiri also highlighted the continent’s limited laboratory capacity, noting that only 1.3% of African labs can run the tests needed to guide correct antibiotic use. Although Ghana and other African countries have drafted national plans to tackle the crisis, she said implementation remains slow due to limited funding and weak enforcement.
NMIMR Director, Prof. Dorothy Yeboah-Manu, reaffirmed Noguchi’s commitment to improving Ghana’s biomedical research, citing strong Ghana–Japan collaboration and enhanced scientific training.
The Japanese Ambassador and the Minister of Health also praised Noguchi’s contributions, with the minister outlining priorities such as upgrading laboratory systems, expanding universal health coverage, and boosting local pharmaceutical and vaccine production.
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