World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2015: According to the reports by the US Centres for Disease Control, at least 23,000 deaths occur out of 2 million people who get infected with antibiotic resistance bacteria every year. World Health Organization has called antibiotic resistance a major Global threat to Public health.
To raise awareness of the antibiotic resistance, The World Health Organization has established events named “World Antibiotic Awareness Week”, starting from 16 November until 22 November.
World Antibiotic Awareness Week 2015
“A global action plan to tackle the growing problem of resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines was endorsed at the 68th World Health Assembly in May 2015. One of the key objectives of the plan is to improve awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance through effective communication, education and training,” said a statement from WHO.
Antibiotics are used in medicine to help fight bacterial infections an ailment in humans and animal kingdom, but these medicines tend to get less potent, once we start abusing them (over-using).
This happens because of a phenomenon called ‘evolution’, the bacteria in body, keeps on adapting itself to counter-attack antibiotics.
“Antibiotic resistance is one of the most significant threats to patients’ safety in Europe. It is driven by overusing antibiotics and prescribing them inappropriately.”, according to a report.
Hence, as a result of antibiotic resistance people tend to remain sick for long leading to higher risks of death. For instance, a person suffering from MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) would have 64% more chances of losing their lives as compared to the ones whose infections are non-resistant, not just that but it requires critical and intensive care which elevates the health care cost resulting from longer stays in hospitals.
Ie: increasing the chance and austerity of the illness the antibiotic-resistant bacteria ultimately puts one to death. “few new antibiotics are being developed”, which is exacerbating the situation as more antibiotic resistant bacteria adapts and arises”, stated by NHS website.
