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Africa: Safe Care from the Start – Why Better Diagnostics Can Save Lives

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Africa: Safe Care from the Start – Why Better Diagnostics Can Save Lives


Nairobi, Kenya, 17 th   September 2025:   Every child deserves safe, effective care from the moment they fall sick. Yet in many hospitals across sub-Saharan Africa,   treatment often begins before infections are properly diagnosed using laboratory tools. The result? Antibiotics are given indiscriminately, infections go undetected, and antibiotic resistance spreads at alarming rates .

A nti b io tic   resistance is   among   the top ten   global   health threats   globally , with sub-Saharan Africa   experiencing   the   highest   death   rates. The World Health Organization has set   ambitious   targets to reduce   deaths   linked   to   resistant infections   and ensure that   antibiotics remain available for use by those who truly need them .   T hese   goals   cannot be   met without   reliable diagnostics.   As Dr. Veronicah Chuchu notes:   “ Safe care starts with strong diagnostics; without them, children’s lives hang in the balance .”

This year’s World Patient Safety Day, observed on 17 September under the theme   “Safe care for every newborn and every child”   with the slogan   “Patient safety from the start!” ,   comes at a critical time . A   new  study   highlights   just how urgent the situation is.


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Researchers   reviewed medical records of 1,608 children admitted   with suspected infections   between 2017 and 2021   in a referral hospital in Kenya .   The y   analyzed infection   pattern s,   the use of   diagnostic   tools , and   antibiotic resistance .   The   findings were sobering :

•   G astroenteritis, bacterial pneumonia, and sepsis were   among the most common infections, echoing   global evidence that these   are the leading   causes of child   illness   and   death , especially in under-immunized and malnourished populations .

•   Only 4 in 10 children had cultures requested.

•   Of those, just 17%   received   full antibiotic sensitivity testing — the gold standard for guiding treatment.

•   More than 70% of t ested   samples had   bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics, and nearly 30% were extensively drug-resistant, leaving doctors with   few treatment   options.

•   Children under five years and those with repeat   admi ssions w ere the most vulnerable.

One   particularly   worrying finding   was that 86% of the samples showed no bacteria at all. This can happen   when children are given   antibiotics at home   or at another facility before admission; when samples are too little, poorly collected, or contaminated; or when delays in transport cause bacteria to die before testing.   In the absence of reliable results, doctors often rely on broad “catch-all” antibiotics. While sometimes   life-saving , this approach drives resistance, prolongs hospital stays, increases costs, and tragically, can still end in death .

These   challenges are not unique to Kenya. Across   many low- and middle-income countries , d iagnostic services remain weak   due to   shortages of trained staff, laboratory supplies, and functional equipment.   Fewer laboratories   are able to   perform even basic   bacterial culture tests.   “ When children are treated without knowing the exact cause of their illness, their safety is compromised from the very start. ”   Dr. Chuchu,   the   lead author of the   study,   stresses .

So, what   must change ?   According to the study authors , we must   first   scale up diagnostic capacity so that every child with an infection has access to cultures and sensitivity testing. Second, we need to strengthen laboratories by investing in infrastructure, skilled personnel, and timely reporting systems. Third,   health facilities   must mak e   lab oratory   testing   central to treatment decisions rather than defaulting to   experience-based therapy.

“ On this World Patient Safety Day, let us commit to ensuring that every child in Kenya, and across Africa, receives safe care from the start ,”   Dr. Chuchu conclude s. “ That means building stronger laboratories, training health workers, and making diagnostics as essential as stethoscopes. Only then can we protect children’s health, preserve the power of antibiotics, and save lives. ”   Authors highlight.