WORLD ANTIBIOTICS AWARENESS WEEK (2015)

WORLD ANTIBIOTICS AWARENESS WEEK!! 2015

The WHO Antibiotics awareness week is one of the efforts of the Organisation to save the World. The abuse of Antibiotics is rampant, especially in the developing world where you can easily  get Antibiotics drugs over the counter without prescription.  The patients who have the opportunity to get the drugs prescribed do not keep to prescription; either they skip some days or they stop using their drugs before the prescribed period ends. Recently, one of my patients confided in me about his noncompliance with the antibiotic prescription given to him. He is being managed for Osteomyelitis. The response to this revelation was to stop antibiotics and request for another swab test was made.

Antibiotics are medicines that treat bacterial infections. They do not cure infections caused by viruses, such as the common cold or flu. Taking antibiotics when you do NOT need them can prevent them working when you DO need them.

Antibiotics are given to humans, livestock, fish and crops. Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria change and become resistant to the antibiotics used to treat the infections they cause. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread through contact with humans, animals, food or water that are carrying them.

MYTH! It is very important that you take the right antibiotic at the right dose for the right duration. By taking the full course at the full dose, even if you start to feel better earlier, you should kill all of the bacteria that made you sick and not leave any to mutate and become resistant.

Antibiotic resistance is happening everywhere in the world, affecting people of all ages. It is one of the biggest threats to public health today. Antibiotic resistant infections can take longer to treat, may require more frequent doctor visits, possible hospital stays, more severe side effects and expensive treatments. Serious, isn’t it?

While antibiotic resistance is a naturally occurring phenomenon, the misuse and over-use of antibiotics in plants, animals and humans have accelerated this process to dangerously high levels. BUT it’s not too late to reduce the impact of antibiotic resistance and we all have a part to play in preserving the effectiveness of antibiotics.

Taking action to prevent infections, such as by getting vaccinated, will stop you from getting sick and reduce your need for antibiotics. And remember: if you do get sick, always consult your doctor about whether you need antibiotics. Get a prescription and always finish your course of antibiotic treatment (even if you feel better).

In conclusion, we all have a role play when it comes the global health because a disease outbreak  in a remote area today may become an epidemic tomorrow.

#Saveyourselftosavetheworld       

              

Reference:

WHO 2015. QUIZ. How Much do you Know about antibiotics. [Online] Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/2015/world-antibiotic-awareness-week/quiz/en/ [Accessed November 16, 2015].