KOCHI: “Improving access to effective antibiotics as well as the way we use them will require partnerships between the public and private sectors, as well as engagements from patients. No country is spared from the challenge of antibiotic resistance; it is a global one,” said Dr Arjun Srinivasan, Associate Director, Healthcare Infection Prevention Programmes, Centers for Control and Prevention, US Department of Health.
He was speaking at a press meet held at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences on the topic ‘Antibiotic Stewardship and Infectious Diseases’. A team of experts in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from India and abroad participated. The lack of restrictions on access to antibiotics and their irrational use, non-standardised microbiology laboratories, the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry and fisheries are leading to widespread antibiotic resistance in the country.
According to a recent study in Kerala, 89 percent of doctors prescribe antibiotics on a daily basis. “Suppose a patient suffers from symptoms of upper-respiratory infection, diarrhea or vomiting, he/she gets a course of antibiotics. So it is unsurprising that we consume the highest volume of antibiotics in the world. We are looking for ways collectively with other countries to reduce the use of antibiotics,” said Dr Sanjeev K Singh, Medical Superintendent, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences.
He also added that The Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences instituted an Antibiotic Stewardship programme four years back, which has led to a significant reduction in the use of high-end antibiotics.
“Individually and collectively, we all have the responsibility in preserving the effectiveness of antibiotics, which means we must use them wisely. We should reduce the need for antibiotics by maximizing efforts to prevent infections from occurring,” said Dr Alison Holmes, Director of the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit, at London Imperial College, and Public Health England.
Conference to be held
A two-day ‘International Conference on Antibiotic Stewardship and Infectious Diseases’ will be held at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences on Saturday and Sunday, highlighting the importance of ‘Antibiotic Stewardship’, which means a combination of practices to rationalise antibiotic use through right dose, right drug, right duration, right frequency, right patient, and right indication.
Rationalising the use of antibiotics is essential to reduce the burden of infectious diseases, the experts said at the event, which saw the participation of ten prominent international speakers from the United Kingdom, the US and South Africa.