The Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority (WHPHA) has expressed serious concern over the increasing burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at Mt Hagen Provincial Hospital, warning that the irrational use of antimicrobials is accelerating the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant microorganisms, compromising patient outcomes, prolonging hospital admissions, increasing healthcare costs, and limiting treatment options.

Speaking on Friday, 19 June 2026, WHPHA Laboratory Manager, Dr. Zure Kombati, said antimicrobial resistance has become one of the most significant public health threats facing Papua New Guinea and the world.

He explained that the irrational use of antimicrobials, including self-medication, over-thecounter access without a prescription, inappropriate prescribing, unnecessary use of broad-spectrum agents, incorrect dosing, prolonged duration of therapy, poor adherence to prescribed treatment, and failure to complete treatment, creates selective pressure that enables resistant microorganisms to survive, multiply, and spread within healthcare facilities and the community.

“As microorganisms become resistant to commonly used antimicrobials, infections become increasingly difficult to treat. This leads to treatment failure, prolonged illness, longer hospital stays, higher treatment costs, increased complications, and preventable deaths,” Dr. Kombati said.

He stressed that microbiological diagnosis should become standard clinical practice wherever possible.

“Microbiological culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing should be performed before initiating antimicrobial therapy whenever clinically appropriate. Laboratory-guided therapy enables clinicians to prescribe targeted treatment rather than relying unnecessarily on empirical therapy.”

“Our role as microbiologists is to isolate and identify the causative pathogen and determine its susceptibility profile against available antimicrobial agents. This information enables clinicians to prescribe the right antimicrobial, at the right dose, for the right patient, at the right time, and for the appropriate duration.”

Dr. Kombati urged members of the public to avoid self-medication and to use antimicrobials only when prescribed by qualified healthcare professionals. He also emphasized the importance of completing the full prescribed course of treatment, warning that missed doses and premature discontinuation of therapy significantly contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance.

Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Jonah Kurubi, said antimicrobial resistance is further driven by the unregulated sale and inappropriate use of antimicrobial medicines outside licensed healthcare facilities.

“Many patients arrive at the hospital having already taken antimicrobials purchased through informal markets without proper clinical assessment or pharmaceutical advice. Such irrational use exposes bacteria to unnecessary antimicrobial pressure and accelerates the development of resistance.”

Dr. Kurubi also called on healthcare professionals to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship by discouraging irrational prescribing practices.

“While empirical antimicrobial therapy is sometimes necessary in critically ill patients before laboratory results become available, it should never replace evidence-based clinical practice. Clinicians should review antimicrobial therapy within 48 to 72 hours and de-escalate treatment according to microbiological culture and antimicrobial susceptibility results.”

He warned that unnecessary prolonged empirical therapy, inappropriate use of broadspectrum antimicrobials, and antimicrobial polypharmacy without a clear clinical indication increase antimicrobial resistance, expose patients to avoidable adverse drug reactions, disrupt normal microbial flora, increase the risk of healthcare-associated infections, and place unnecessary financial pressure on both patients and the health system.

“Antimicrobials should not be prescribed for viral infections such as influenza, the common cold, or most upper respiratory tract infections because these illnesses are caused by viruses and do not respond to antibacterial medicines. Rational prescribing must always be guided by clinical assessment, national treatment guidelines, microbiological evidence, and antimicrobial stewardship principles.”

Both doctors emphasized that strengthening Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) programmes, infection prevention and control, microbiological surveillance, diagnostic laboratory capacity, and continuous education of healthcare workers are essential to preserving the effectiveness of life-saving antimicrobial medicines.

Despite increasing specimen volumes and laboratory workloads, Dr. Kombati commended the dedication of the microbiology laboratory team for maintaining highquality diagnostic services.

He acknowledged the significant contribution of the Fleming Fund Country Grant, which has transformed the microbiology laboratory through investment in modern diagnostic equipment, laboratory infrastructure, workforce training, quality management systems, and antimicrobial resistance surveillance. These investments have positioned the Mt Hagen Provincial Hospital Microbiology Laboratory among the leading diagnostic laboratories in Papua New Guinea, second only to Port Moresby General Hospital.

Dr. Kombati concluded by calling for a coordinated One Health approach involving clinicians, pharmacists, nurses, laboratory scientists, veterinarians, policymakers, and the public to combat antimicrobial resistance.

“Antimicrobial resistance threatens modern medicine. Protecting the effectiveness of these medicines is a shared responsibility. Through rational antimicrobial use, strengthened antimicrobial stewardship, quality laboratory services, infection prevention and control, and sustained public awareness, we can preserve these life-saving medicines for future generations,” he concluded.