2023-08-21 00:15:36
If antimicrobial resistance persists, by 2050 it will cause a financial burden of $100 billion globally and 10 million deaths annually.
For more than 20 years, it has become mandatory to request a medical prescription in pharmacies in order to acquire antibiotics in Mexico.
It is estimated that 80% of antimicrobials are prescribed at the first level of care.
Secretary Jorge Alcocer Varela called on professionals in the field to join efforts to control antimicrobial resistance (RAM). A simple activity is Justifiably use antibiotics and only when the patient really needs them. He added that it is one of the top 10 global threats to public health and its control requires awareness, knowledge, responsibility and education.
By heading the National Educational Forum on Antimicrobial Resistance for Health Personnel in TrainingAlcocer Varela emphasized that the health professional, and especially the new generations, are obliged to update their knowledge to avoid ADR and thus provide better care to patients.
Before more than 1,200 face-to-face and virtual health professionals, Secretary Alcocer warned that if measures are not taken to mitigate the appearance and spread of ADR, in the following decades this problem will imply a financial burden of 100 billion dollars to worldwide and will cause more than 10 million deaths annually.
He noted that research on resistant microorganisms is crucial for a better understanding of their behavior in humans, animals and the environment.
He mentioned that a source of antimicrobial resistance It occurs in dental medicine. It is estimated that up to 90 percent of head and neck infections are odontogenic in origin. The most common are in the oral cavity and in the maxillofacial region.
“Bacterial resistance has been one of the main problems related to treatment in this type of infection in recent years, and its frequency is increasing due to self-medication and mutations in bacteria.”
Abuse in the prescription of antibiotics
The secretary of the General Health Council (CSG), Marcos Cantero Cortés, stressed that this problem jeopardizes progress in addressing global priorities such as the fight against diseases.
He announced that in November 2022 the CSG published through the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) the Agreement that modifies the sole Annex of the diverse by which the obligatory nature of the National Strategy for Action against Antimicrobial Resistance (Enaram)whose objectives are aligned with the plan of the World Health Organization (WHO) to reduce, control or eliminate the risks it represents.
Cantero Cortés pointed out that antibiotics are the most used drugs in medicine. Nevertheless, up to 50 percent of those prescribed are not needed or misused.
The general director of Epidemiology, Gabriel García Rodríguez, emphasized that the WHO estimates that, if antimicrobial resistance is not controlled, by the year 2050 it will be the leading cause of death.
Actions that are implemented in Mexico
In this context, Mexico implements various actions as part of Enaram and launched the Institutional Operational Command, made up of high-level personnel who supervise hospital units.
As an additional measure, in 2023 the Technical Committees on Antimicrobial Resistance and the Subcommittees on Human Health, Animal Health and Agrifood were created.
Similarly, the Federal Commission against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) He teaches courses on the proper management of antibiotics. In addition, the Institute of Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference (InDRE) “Dr. Manuel Martínez Báez” established the Diagnostic Guidelines for laboratories for the identification of antimicrobial resistance.
In addition, with the support of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Quality Management Manual for Laboratories was modified, which includes the antimicrobial resistance.
The technical secretary of the CSG, Arlene Orta Guerrero, explained that the technical committee on antimicrobial resistance promotes the integration and operation of the State Inter-Institutional Command in the 32 states and follows up on training for the best use of antimicrobials, through of the Siesabi platform for health personnel.
Orta Guerrero spoke out for training citizens and middle school and high school students on the risks of indiscriminate use of antibiotics and the importance of hand washing.
The general director of the National Center for the Prevention and Control of HIV and AIDS (Censida), Alethse de la Torre Rosas, highlighted the need to standardize techniques and strategies for use of antimicrobialsbecause 80 percent are prescribed at the first level of care.
Also read:
The 6 most dangerous antibiotic resistant bacteria in the world
IMSS against intrahospital antimicrobial resistance: Main actions it has undertaken
Why is antibiotic resistance generated?
#Doctors #prescribe