2023-11-20 23:10:01
The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) It occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites stop responding to medications to combat them. All of this makes the treatment of infections difficult and increases the risk of spreading diseases and death, reported the Medical Sciences researcher at the National Institute of Public Health (INSP), Anahí Dreser Mansilla.
He pointed out that the World Health Organization (WHO) places the antimicrobial resistance among the 10 most important public health problems, which he has called the “silent pandemic”, and estimates that it will cause more than 10 million deaths by 2050.
With this in mind, the World AMR Awareness Week takes place from November 18 to 24. This year’s motto is “Let’s prevent antimicrobial resistance together” because drug resistance is a mechanism that pathogens acquire to resist the effect of medications, and is due to factors such as the indiscriminate consumption of antibiotics and other antimicrobials in health. human, animal and agriculture.
Consequences of antimicrobial resistance
With respect to indiscriminate use of antimicrobials, explained that not only is it a problem of self-medication, but that “many doctors, in an effort to protect their patients, unnecessarily prescribe antibiotics to treat a viral infection such as flu, cold; even influenza, COVID-19 or a diarrheal illness.”
He indicated that the unjustified medical prescription of antibiotics It creates resistant microorganisms, increases the risk of adverse drug reactions, and generates unnecessary costs for patients.
He detailed a study published in the journal The Lancetwhich points out that antibiotic resistance was associated with the death of almost five million people in the world in 2019. This situation worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, because in the first year of the health emergency, antibiotics were used. unnecessarily a wide variety of antibiotics.
The INSP researcher indicated that for two decades the WHO has called on governments to take measures to control AMR, since it puts the effectiveness of antibiotics at risk. For this reason, it is necessary to raise awareness about the importance of its rational use.
He explained that there are basic measures to prevent infectious diseases, such as hand washing and hygiene when handling food. Furthermore, it is essential not to use antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription; that is, avoid self-medication.
What is being done in Mexico to combat antimicrobial resistance?
Anahí Dreser pointed out that the INSP research group that she heads prepared a diagnosis on Antimicrobial Use Optimization Programs (PROA) in hospitals in the country, which works in a network of 50 public and private hospitals on optimizing the use of antibiotics and the development of point prevalence studies of these medications, with the purpose of knowing how they are prescribed.
He mentioned that the Ministry of Health, as part of the National Strategy on AMR, provides a training course related to the use of antibiotics, aimed at medical personnel; promotes interventions to improve medical prescription and reinforces actions to avoid hospital-acquired infections, through hand washing and surface disinfection.
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