WHO ( World Health Organization) shared warning about the misuse of antibiotics as WHO mapped the consumption graph and it is dangerously high in many of the countries while a shortage in others. WHO hinted there is spurring risky misuse, driving the emergence of deadly superbug infections.
United Nation’s health agency at first came to know about the difference between the consumption of antibiotics. They had collected data from the large parts of the world on their antibiotics usage and had found big differences in consumption.
In 2015, data collected from 65 countries and regions, and their report clearly defined the big difference in consumption rates from as low as around four so-called defined daily doses (DDD) per 1,000 inhabitants per day in Burundi to more than 64 in Mongolia.
WHO statement note in regards to the warning “The large difference in antibiotic use worldwide indicates that some countries are probably overusing antibiotics while other countries may not have sufficient access to these life-saving medicines.”
Since the 1920s, Antibiotics discovered and saved tens of millions of lives by defeating bacterial diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and meningitis. But with the time change, bacterias have learned to fight back and build resistance to the same drugs that once reliably vanquished them.
Now, there is a strong need to work further to make new generation drugs to fight ultra-resistant super germs. WHO urged big pharma and governments to work on the solution last year and warned the world is running out of effective antibiotics.
Suzanne Hill, head of WHO’s essential medicines unit shared in a statement warned that overuse and misuse of antibiotics are the leading causes of antimicrobial resistance. And in the absence of effective antibiotics and other antimicrobials, we no longer able to treat common infections like pneumonia.
When people not finished the course of treatment or consuming antibiotics when they don’t need then the bacteria can become resistant and giving the half-defeated bug a chance to recover and build immunity.
Hill also shared that we need to take urgent action as now there is a strong need like enforcing prescription-only policies, to reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics also giving warning sign and worrying us as low numbers were also of concern.
Bacteria can time to build resistance when people cannot afford a full course of treatment or only have access to fake medicines.
The average antibiotic consumption was nearly 18 DDD per 1,000 inhabitants per day in Europe as they have given accurate and complete reports. And Turkey ranked the highest with consumption over 38 DDD, nearly five times higher consumption than the lowest consumer-country Azerbaijan, which counted fewer than eight DDD.
Antibiotics are used around the world and demand is increasing which remains far from complete. Many countries chart are missing and WHO worried that many countries face major challenges in collecting reliable data, including lack of funds and trained staff.
