Antibiotic consumption in 14 countries of sub-Saharan Africa: Findings from a retrospective analysis

The study analysing antibiotic consumption across 14 sub-Saharan African countries (2016–2019) found that national data were available for 11 countries, with an average use of about 8.4 defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants per day and wide variation between countries. Most countries (82%) and around 72% of participating pharmacies met the WHO target of at least 60% “Access” antibiotics, though pharmacy-level variation was substantial. Across settings, the range of antibiotics used was narrow: only about 10% of all WHO-recommended Access antibiotics were actually in use, and Reserve antibiotics were rarely used. The authors conclude that the combination of low and uneven antibiotic consumption and the limited diversity of available treatments shows that efforts to promote stewardship must be paired with improved access to appropriate antibiotics.