A growing resistance to antibiotics is complicating the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Malawi, with new research revealing that nearly half of women presenting with symptoms at a major referral hospital had infections resistant to multiple drugs.
The study, conducted by researchers at Mzuzu University and published in the National Library of Medicine, found a UTI prevalence of 48.5 per cent among women assessed at Malawi’s Zomba Central Hospital.
The data signals a public health concern that extends beyond expected physiological susceptibility in pregnancy.
It points toward broader social, behavioural, or systemic issues such as poor hygiene, limited access to healthcare, or the overuse of antibiotics without proper diagnostic testing.”
Pizga Kumwenda, study’s lead…