It has been revealed that Malawi does not have adequate diagnostic equipment for various ailments.

This was said at the recent science café on fighting antimicrobial resistance.

In an interview with YFM online principal medical officer in the ministry of health Dr Collins Mitambo said they have developed a national strategic plan on antimicrobial resistant to address the problem.

“The new strategy will assist in strengthening laboratories and raise awareness on antimicrobial resistance among other issues,” Mitambo said.

According to him, clinicians find it difficult to detect a disease in some instances there are various samples one needs to take in order to prescribe the right drug.

One of the guest speakers at the science café Juliana Lunguzi who is the chairperson for the parliamentary committee on health said antibiotic use should be regulated.

“We need to partner with institutions that are doing research so that we can be able to discuss on what we can tell people and what can we regulate to avoid an influx of antibiotics sale on the market.”

The science café on fighting antimicrobial resistance was organized by the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust in conjunction with the college of medicine.