An estimated seven hundred thousand people die each year from the misuse and overuse of anti-microbials, which is one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity.
This was highlighted by the Acting Erongo Regional Pharmacist, Lourdes Hamayulu, during the World Anti-Microbial Awareness campaign at Swakopmund.
Antimicrobial resistance or simply AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve over time and devolope a resistance medication, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.
As a result of the drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines prove ineffective, and infections become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat.
One of the key objectives of the plan is to improve awareness and understanding of AMR through effective communication, education, and training.
According to the acting Regional Pharmacist, Lourdes Hamayulu, in a speech delivered on her behalf, HIV drug resistance is already on the rise, and more than 100 countries report extensive drug-resistant TB, with Namibia being no exception.
According to Hamayulu Improving the appropriate use of antibiotics is one way of limiting the spread of AMR and increasing vaccination coverage. She says there is a need to improve how we use existing antibiotics, whether for humans or for animals and that efforts to achieve desired prescribing behavior among prescribers is critical.
She further says that if current trends continue, rising AMR will cause more than 10 million deaths worldwide by 2050.
In a speech read on her behalf the Swakopmund Mayor by the Erongo Regional Health director Anna Jonas applauded the attendees. She said their presence at the event is an indication that they understand the importance of addressing antimicrobial resistance to maintain and advance the tools of modern medicine. Not only for this generation but for many generations to come.
The Erongo Governor Neville Andre
World Antimicrobial Awareness Week is a global campaign that is celebrated annually to improve awareness and understanding of AMR and encourage best practices among the public, One Health stakeholders, and policymakers, all of whom play a critical role in reducing the further emergence and spread of AMR.