World Health raises the slogan "Act now: to protect our present and secure our future"
The World Health Organization said that antimicrobial resistance, which has emerged recently, is one of the most serious threats facing global health, food security, and the environment, as it harms our health, our food systems, our environment, and our economies, and this is not a challenge that we will face in the future, but rather an existing reality.
The types of drug-resistant infections are increasing, but the rates of awareness, investment, and work in this field are still Minor. November" It is: Act now: to protect our present and secure our future.
This theme underscores the urgent need for bold and united action to address antimicrobial resistance, and calls for transforming promises into concrete life-saving interventions to improve resistance surveillance and use of antibiotics, investing to ensure equitable access to quality medicines, diagnostics and vaccines, and implementing effective infection prevention and control measures across human and animal health. And the environment.
The statistics on antimicrobial resistance in the Eastern Mediterranean Region are alarming.
The latest data from WHO’s Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System show persistent challenges.
In 2023, almost 1 in 3 bacterial infections in the Region was resistant to antibiotics, one of the highest numbers nationwide. Global.
The resistance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in bloodstream infections, which is one of the indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals, reached 50.3%, which is the highest among all regions of the World Health Organization.
The resistance of Acinetobacter species to imipenem reached – It is a backup or last resort option used to treat multidrug-resistant infections – 66.5%, the highest figure in the world, and it is rising by 11.3% annually, which is the highest rate of increase among WHO regions.
Salmonella resistance to the antibiotic ceftriaxone reached 56.9%, the highest rate among all WHO regions.
However, data from the global surveillance system for antimicrobial resistance and use show some progress in the field Surveillance.
All countries and territories of the Region have submitted data on antimicrobial resistance to the global antimicrobial resistance surveillance system at least once since 2016, and it is the only WHO region to do so.
Shigella resistance to the antibiotic azithromycin was 1.2%, the lowest rate in the world.
Klebsiella resistance recorded … The Eastern Mediterranean and South-East Asia was the highest of all WHO regions.
The rate of antibiotic use was 23.0 defined daily doses per 1,000 population per day in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
In 2023, the global target is for at least 60% of national antibiotic consumption to be of "Availability", the first low-risk class of antibiotics prescribed for common infections.
Although 58% (35/60) of the countries and territories of the Region reported achieving the WHO target for 2023, only 4 out of 9 countries that provided data for 2023 from the Eastern Mediterranean Region were able to achieve this Andnbsp;
Moreover, only one country in the region, Tunisia, has achieved the 2030 target (70% of antibiotics used are “access” antibiotics) set by the UN General Assembly in 2024.
When it comes to antimicrobial resistance, everyone has a role to play, whether they Hospital administrative staff setting up an antimicrobial stewardship team, farmers following good agricultural and waste management practices, parents giving their children antibiotics without a prescription, or industries handling effluents, each action matters.
The organization calls on policymakers to fund antimicrobial resistance programs and enforce regulations that reduce abuse and support innovation, calls on farmers to follow sustainable practices to reduce the use of antibiotics to treat animals, calls on industries to commit to treating wastewater, and calls on the media to be careful about the information they publish, and highlight success stories.
Individuals can protect themselves and others by following good personal hygiene practices, and being careful. To receive vaccinations regularly, and not to take antibiotics unless prescribed by a health care professional.
Dr. Hanan Hassan Balkhi, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said: “This year’s theme, ‘Act Now: To protect our present and secure our future,’ reminds us that each of us has a role to play.
We must turn political commitment into action, by ensuring the provision of clean water and public health services. Personal hygiene in all facilities, use antimicrobials responsibly, invest in innovation and resilient health systems, and adopt a One Health approach.”
Antimicrobial resistance is a global challenge and requires a global response. Working together, we can save lives, keep antibiotics and other antimicrobials strong, improve health systems, and protect ourselves and the environment for future generations.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents.
As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs lose their effectiveness, and infections become difficult or impossible to treat, making it more difficult to treat infections. From the risk of spreading disease, severe illness and death.
From November 18 to 24 of each year, the entire world celebrates World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week. The global campaign raises the alarm about antimicrobial resistance and calls for action to stop the rise and spread of drug-resistant infections.
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