Uganda has launched a national antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance platform that will integrate data from human, animal and environmental health sectors, as officials warn that drug-resistant infections are responsible for more than 30,000 deaths annually.
The digital system, powered by artificial intelligence and developed under a One Health approach, is expected to strengthen disease surveillance, improve data sharing and support evidence-based decision-making in the fight against one of the country’s fastest-growing public health threats.
The National Integrated Antimicrobial Resistance (NIAMR) Digital Data Capture and Sharing Platform was officially launched on Thursday in Kampala by the Ministry of Health and its partners as part of broader efforts to improve Uganda’s ability to detect, monitor and respond to antimicrobial resistance.
The initiative is funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It is being implemented by Makerere University in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation-Uganda and other stakeholders across the One Health sectors.
Speaking at the launch, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Dr Diana Atwine described antimicrobial resistance as a growing national and global threat that requires coordinated action across multiple sectors.
She said the platform will consolidate information generated from hospitals, laboratories, veterinary services, agriculture, wildlife and environmental monitoring systems into a centralized database accessible to key stakeholders.
“We are trying to bring all information on antimicrobial resistance together under One Health so that anyone looking for information regarding antimicrobial resistance can easily access it,” Dr Atwine said.
She explained that the system will eventually generate dashboards providing a comprehensive national picture of antimicrobial resistance trends, enabling policymakers and health professionals to make informed decisions.
According to Dr Atwine, artificial intelligence will play a critical role in analyzing large volumes of data and generating insights to support public health interventions.
“We are not just gathering information. We want to use artificial intelligence and health informatics to generate solutions that will help us respond more effectively to antimicrobial resistance,” she said.
Dr Atwine attributed the increasing burden of antimicrobial resistance to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, including self-medication, purchasing drugs without prescriptions and failure to complete treatment doses.
She also raised concern over the widespread use of antibiotics in livestock farming, warning that resistance emerging in animals can easily spread to humans through food systems and environmental exposure.
“Our regulatory framework remains weak, especially in rural areas where antibiotics are often sold without proper oversight. We need stronger public awareness and stricter enforcement to address misuse,” she added.
Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe said the institution remains committed to using research and innovation to address Uganda’s most pressing health challenges.
He noted that more than half of the university’s research funding is invested in health-related research because of its importance to national development.
“If we don’t have a healthy population, we can forget about development. People who are not healthy cannot work effectively or contribute fully to the economy,” Prof. Nawangwe said.
He added that the university is increasingly leveraging digital technologies and artificial intelligence to support evidence-based decision-making in healthcare and disease control.
The NIAMR project is being led by Prof. Josephine Nabukenya from Makerere University’s School of Computing and Information Technology.
Prof. Nabukenya said antimicrobial resistance presents a complex challenge because it cuts across human health, animal health, wildlife and environmental sectors, yet much of the data generated remains fragmented and disconnected.
“Each sector has been collecting valuable information, but much of it exists in separate systems. This project seeks to harmonize that data and make it accessible through a single integrated platform,” she said.
She explained that the system will use artificial intelligence and machine learning to process large datasets and provide evidence that can guide clinicians, veterinarians, agricultural experts and environmental scientists in making informed decisions.
“The goal is to ensure that whether you are a clinician, a veterinarian or an environmental scientist, you can access reliable information from one place and use it to make evidence-based decisions,” she said.
Prof. Nabukenya added that although the platform will be hosted by the Ministry of Health, all relevant sectors will have access to the information to support collaboration and coordinated responses.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Uganda National Antimicrobial Resistance Committee, Dr Henry Kajumbula, warned that antimicrobial resistance is already placing a heavy burden on Uganda’s health system and economy.
He explained that antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria and other microorganisms develop the ability to survive medicines that were previously effective in treating infections.
“When infections become resistant to antibiotics, treatment becomes more difficult, more expensive and sometimes impossible,” he said.
Dr Kajumbula revealed that more than 30,000 Ugandans are estimated to die every year from drug-resistant infections, including pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis, abdominal infections and infected wounds.
Beyond the loss of life, he said antimicrobial resistance contributes to prolonged hospital stays, rising treatment costs and increased pressure on healthcare facilities.
“It is not only a health problem. It is also an economic problem because families spend more on treatment, patients remain hospitalized longer and productivity declines,” he said.
He noted that the effects extend to agriculture, where resistant infections in livestock threaten milk, meat and poultry production, potentially undermining food security and farmers’ livelihoods.
Stakeholders at the launch said the new platform is expected to strengthen surveillance, improve data sharing and support national planning by providing timely and reliable information on antimicrobial resistance trends across the country.
The initiative aligns with Uganda’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance and broader One Health efforts, which recognize the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health.
As drug-resistant infections continue to emerge globally, officials say the successful implementation of the NIAMR platform could significantly improve Uganda’s capacity to detect threats early, coordinate responses and protect lives from one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century.
