How to control AMR?

 

Controlling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) involves various measures:

1. Appropriate Antibiotic Use: Use antibiotics only when prescribed by a healthcare professional and complete the prescribed course.

2. Prevent Infections: Practice good hygiene, such as handwashing, to prevent infections and reduce the need for antibiotics.

3. Vaccination: Get vaccinated to prevent infections that can be treated with antibiotics.

4. Public Awareness: Raise awareness about AMR to promote responsible use of antibiotics among the public and healthcare professionals.

5. Surveillance: Monitor and track antibiotic use and resistance patterns to inform healthcare practices and policies.

6. Animal Health: Implement responsible use of antibiotics in agriculture to reduce the development of resistance.

7. Research and Development: Invest in the development of new antibiotics and alternative therapies.

8. Global Collaboration: Collaborate internationally to address AMR, as antibiotic resistance is a global health threat.

Remember, addressing AMR requires a multifaceted approach involving individuals, healthcare systems, and policymakers.

Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobials – including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics – are medicines used to prevent and treat infectious diseases in humans, animals, and plants.

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines. As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective and infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, disability, and death.

AMR is a natural process that happens over time through genetic changes in pathogens. Its emergence and spread are accelerated by human activity, mainly the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials to treat, prevent, or control infections in humans, animals, and plants.

Reference: WHO