Antibiotic misuse by farmers in Ngoma subcounty Nakaseke district, Uganda
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Date
2012
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The African Journal of Animal & Biomedical Sciences
Abstract
A cross-sectional study was done in Ngoma sub-county, Nakaseke district to assess the extent of antibiotic
abuse by farmers and the associated precipitating factors. Simple random sampling without replacement was
used to select farms and drug shops. Single visits were made and respondents interviewed using semi-structured
questionnaires. Drug shops were the main source of antibiotics to farmers (80.6%). Tetracycline was the most
used drug (65.5%) followed by Penicillin (21.9%). Most farmers (90.2%) were ignorant of the drug withdrawal
period phenomena and 55.3% were not informed about the same by the veterinary practitioners during
therapeutic intervention. Veterinary practitioners did not follow up treatment cases (59.7% of farmers). This
could have been partially responsible for consumption of milk within the withdrawal period and incomplete
treatment regimen. The drug shops were mainly operated by unqualified persons. Antibiotics were not
administered at right doses. Economic factors influenced antibiotic misuse. To prevent unauthorized people
from dispensing drugs, let alone in absence of proper prescriptions, farmers needed to be sensitized on the
importance of rational drug use. Relevant laws should be enforced. There was a need to carry out more studies
like this in order to ascertain the magnitude of drug abuse in the livestock sector nation-wide.
Description
Keywords
Antibiotic misuse, Livestock farmers, Uganda
Citation
Mukasa, D., Mugasa, C. M., & Nakavuma, J. (2012). Antibiotic misuse by farmers in Ngoma subcounty Nakaseke district, Uganda. The African Journal of Animal & Biomedical Sciences, 7(2), 108-116.