VIEWPOINT
“It’s a big problem and more dangerous than a Donald Trump presidency - with some 700,000 deaths annually due to bugs resistant to the best of our antibiotics”
glOBal lEadERS cOmmIt tO act ON aNtImIcROBIal RESIStaNcE last month, world leaders gathered at the United Nations (UN) to signal an unprecedented level of attention to curb the spread of infections that are resistant to antimicrobial medicines.
for the first time, heads of State committed to taking a broad, coordinated approach to address the root causes of amR across multiple sectors, especially human health, animal health and agriculture. this is only the fourth time a health issue has been taken up by the UN general assembly.
countries reaffirmed their commitment to develop national action plans on amR, based on the'global action Plan on antimicrobial Resistance' - the blueprint for tackling amR, which was developed in 2015 by world health Organization in coordination with the food and agriculture Organization of the United Nations (faO) and the world Organisation for animal health (OIE).
In November last year, world health Organization carried out a multi-country survey, which clearly showed that people are still confused about the threat being posed to public health by amR, and do not understand how to prevent it from growing.
almost two thirds (64 per cent) of some 10 000 people who were surveyed across twelve countries, said they know antibiotic resistance is an issue that could affect them and their families, but do not know how it would affect them, or what they can do to address it.
among some of the common misconceptions revealed by the survey were: • three quarters (76 per cent) of respondents thought that antibiotic resistance happens when the body becomes resistant to antibiotics. In fact bacteria - not humans or animals - become resistant to antibiotics and their spread causes hard-to-treat infections.
aNtIBIOtIc awaRENESS hIghlIghtEd world antibiotic awareness week (14-20 November 2016) is designed to increase awareness of global
antibiotic resistance and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance. One of the key objectives of the plan is to improve awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance through effective communication, education and training. the theme of the campaign: antibiotics: handle with care, reflects the overarching message that antibiotics are a precious resource and should be preserved. they should be used to treat bacterial infections, only when prescribed by a certified human or animal health professional. European antibiotic awareness day (EEad), meanwhile, is held annually on 18 November. It is a European-wide annual event that raises awareness on how to use antibiotics in a responsible way that will help keep them effective for the future.
• two thirds (66 per cent) of respondents believed that individuals are not at risk of a drug-resistant infection if they personally take their antibiotics as prescribed. Nearly half (44 per cent) of people surveyed think antibiotic resistance is only a problem for people who take antibiotics regularly. In fact, anyone, of any age, in any country can get an antibiotic- resistant infection.
•more than half (57 per cent) of respondents felt there is not much they can do to stop antibiotic resistance, while nearly two thirds (64 per cent) believed medical experts would solve the problem before it becomes too serious.
• almost three quarters (73 per cent) of respondents said farmers should give fewer antibiotics to food-producing animals.
PhaRmacy IN fOcUS - 27
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