Togo Faces ‘Silent Pandemic’ of Drug Resistance, Experts Tell Lomé Symposium

Health

Monday, 24 November 2025 18:22

Togo Faces ‘Silent Pandemic’ of Drug Resistance, Experts Tell Lomé Symposium

(Togo First) - A scientific symposium on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was held in Lomé, concluding the World AMR Awareness Week on Saturday, June 22, 2025. Researchers, doctors, biologists, pharmacists, and institutional actors discussed the health and economic challenges linked to the progression of AMR in Togo.

A training session for media professionals was held on November 18 by the BIOLOIM/FSS-UL Laboratory, with support from the Africa International Development Foundation (FADI). The session aimed to strengthen communicators' ability to relay reliable messages about AMR.

Professor Mounerou Salou, the AMR focal point in Togo, stated that "antimicrobial resistance is a real silent pandemic, because resistant bacteria move easily from one continent to another." He stressed the importance of "appropriate prescribing," which requires respecting dosage, duration, and indications.

Experts also highlighted the importance of the One Health approach, which considers human, animal, and environmental health together to better prevent the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria.

The economic and environmental dimension was also emphasized. The excessive use of antibiotics in animal health creates multi-resistant bacteria, leading to losses for breeders and a weakening of the food supply chain. One participant noted, "The excessive use of antibiotics leads some microbes to develop resistance... this causes problems we never imagined."

Scientific discussions during the week highlighted national data, including from HIV surveillance. In 2023, 6.3% of newly diagnosed patients already had resistant mutations, and 17.8% had mutations associated with potential resistance to integrase inhibitors, illustrating a broader AMR dynamic in Togo.

For health officials, these indicators show the urgency of investing in laboratories, microbiological surveillance, and the oversight of prescriptions.

Media engagement is presented as an essential lever to support this change. "Journalists and communicators play a decisive role in useful awareness-raising," the FADI, which sponsors the initiative, stated. Following the week's events, specialists called for a collective response to curb the future impact of AMR on health costs, economic productivity, and household health security.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

REFORMS OVERVIEW

STARTING A BUSINESS (more info)

At the fifteenth position, worldwide, and first in Africa, under the Starting a Business index of the 2020 Doing Business ranking, Togo sustains its reformative dynamics with more reforms….

ENFORCING CONTRACTS (more info)

Compared to some years ago when it was one of the lowest rankers under the Doing Business’ Enforcing Contracts indicator, Togo, leveraging many efforts to improve its business climate, was able to jump significantly on the index in the recent years... .

CONTRACT EXECUTION (more info)

Creation of special chambers of commerce for small debts • Creation of chambers of commerce at the Court of Appeal • Civil and commercial cases now handled by distinct clerks • Establishment of commercial courts in Lomé and Kara • Lawyers and bailiffs now have access to the FORSETI COMMERCIAL platform • A maximum period of 100 days was fixed to settle a commercial dispute .

TRADING ACROSS BORDERS (more info)

In comparison to previous years,Togo has significantly improved its ranking under the“Trading across borders” indicator by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

In comparison to previous years, Togo has significantly improved its ranking on the “Trading across borders” index by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitalization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

CONSTRUCTION PERMIT (more info)

After moving from the 133rd to 127th place under the 2020 Doing Business’ construction permit index, Togo intends to reiterate this feat in the coming edition of the global ranking. To this end, it has introduced this year multiple reforms.

GETTING ELECTRICITY (more info)

Over the past two years, Togo’s ranking under the Doing Business’ Getting electricity and water indicator has increased consistently. Owing this performance to multiple reforms aimed at making it easier for businesses to access power and water, Lomé plans to introduce even more reforms this year to keep up its improvements.

REGISTERING A PROPERTY (more info)

Out of all the 'Doing Business’ indicators, Property Registration is where Togo has improved the most since 2018. Indeed, after spending years in the lowest part of this ranking, the country now seeks to beat Rwanda which is the best performer on this index in Africa. To do so, Lomé has been introducing many reforms, with the latest batch implemented this year.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT (more info)

From professionalization to digitization, through legislative regulations, Togo’s public procurement framework is constantly being modernized. Several reforms have been implemented to improve the sector much to the benefit of the private sector, which is the focus of the National Development Plan.

PAYING TAXES AND DUTIES (more info)

To improve its business environment, Togo introduced some important reforms related to the payment of tax and duties. From the replacement of some taxes to the cancellation of others through exemptions, the country has only one objective: offer the most attractive tax framework to investors and economic operators. To achieve this, the authorities relied on digitization.