TY - JOUR
T1 - Veterinary healthcare provision and quality of reported data on antimicrobial use in the treatment of livestock in Sierra Leone, 2016-2019
AU - Leno, Amara
AU - Kizito, Walter
AU - Jalloh, Amadu Tejan
AU - Bah, Mohamed Alpha
AU - Kamara, Sorie Mohamed
AU - Zolfo, Maria
AU - Sheriff, Amara Aidara
AU - Hann, Katrina
AU - Thekkur, Pruthu
AU - Kumar, Ajay M V
N1 - FTX; DOAJ; (CC BY 4.0)
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Antimicrobials help in the prevention and treatment of infections and are crucial for animal production, but overuse can result in antimicrobial resistance. Hence, understanding data quality on livestock antimicrobial use is essential. We assessed frequency of reporting, completeness, and concordance of reported data and availability of human resources and infrastructure in 14 districts in Sierra Leone. This was a cross-sectional study involving a review of district and sub-district animal treatment forms submitted from January 2016 to August 2019. Out of the 14 districts, only 3 had filled forms available for review: A total of 6 (0.97% of 616 expected) district forms and 79 (1.15% of 6840 expected) sub-district forms. Data between district and sub-district treatment forms were fully discordant. Hence, completeness of data could not be assessed. All districts had livestock officers (barring one) and livestock assistants but no veterinarians. The gap in community animal health workers ranged from 14 to 100% per district. No districts had a functional computer or internet access. Reporting was non-existent in 11 districts and poor in the other 3. Resources are urgently needed to address critical gaps in human resources and capacity and computer and Internet connectivity to develop critical One Health surveillance functions at the national and sub-national levels.
AB - Antimicrobials help in the prevention and treatment of infections and are crucial for animal production, but overuse can result in antimicrobial resistance. Hence, understanding data quality on livestock antimicrobial use is essential. We assessed frequency of reporting, completeness, and concordance of reported data and availability of human resources and infrastructure in 14 districts in Sierra Leone. This was a cross-sectional study involving a review of district and sub-district animal treatment forms submitted from January 2016 to August 2019. Out of the 14 districts, only 3 had filled forms available for review: A total of 6 (0.97% of 616 expected) district forms and 79 (1.15% of 6840 expected) sub-district forms. Data between district and sub-district treatment forms were fully discordant. Hence, completeness of data could not be assessed. All districts had livestock officers (barring one) and livestock assistants but no veterinarians. The gap in community animal health workers ranged from 14 to 100% per district. No districts had a functional computer or internet access. Reporting was non-existent in 11 districts and poor in the other 3. Resources are urgently needed to address critical gaps in human resources and capacity and computer and Internet connectivity to develop critical One Health surveillance functions at the national and sub-national levels.
U2 - 10.3390/tropicalmed6020073
DO - 10.3390/tropicalmed6020073
M3 - A1: Web of Science-article
C2 - 34068611
SN - 2414-6366
VL - 6
JO - Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
JF - Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
IS - 2
M1 - 73
ER -