NEWS:  While the COVID­19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on our daily lives, a silent pandemic named Antimicrobial Resistance, has been brewing in the background for decades. Governments need to factor in new research and bring in businesses and consumers as active stakeholders before it is too late.

WHAT IS ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE?

According to WHO, Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and some parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from working against it. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and may spread to others.

PRESENT SCENARIO

• About 700,000 people die every year because of the inefficacy of the present  available antimicrobial against the pathogens.
• Globally, about 35% of common human infections have already become resistant to available medicines.
• It is assumed that resistance to second- and third-line antibiotics — the last lines of defence against some common diseases will almost double between 2005 and 2030.
• In India, the largest consumer of antibiotics in the world, this is a serious problem.

CAUSES OF RESISTANCE

• Microorganisms develop resistance to antimicrobial agents as a natural defence mechanism.
• Human activities such as use of antibiotics without prescription, mass bathing in rivers as part of religious mass gathering occasions, etc. significantly accelerates the process.
• Unmetabolized drugs in excreta from house, health and pharmaceutical facilities, agricultural run­off from farmlands also propagates AMR.
• The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials for humans, livestock and agriculture is the major cause among all.
• Negligence of Infection Control Practices in the Healthcare  sector.

Initiative to tackle the AMR

• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has identified antimicrobial resistance as one of six emerging issues of environmental concern in its 2017 Frontiers Report.
• UN agencies are working together to develop the One Health AMR Global Action Plan (GAP) that addresses the issue in the human, animal, and plant health and food and environment sectors.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has issued draft standards which set limits for residues of 121 antibiotics in treated effluents from drug production units.
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and MoEF&CC has constituted the inter-ministerial Steering Committee on Environment and Health, with representation from WHO and UNEP.

Steps to fight against AMR

• Self-medication should be reduced by creating awareness about the use and abuse of antibiotics
• Antibiotics should be sold only on the doctor’s prescription.
• Vaccination can act as a viable option in reducing the need for antibiotics.
• Inclusion of infection control practices in the healthcare sector.
• Strengthening resistance tracking so that data on antimicrobial resistant infections and causes of infection can be gathered to enable formulation of specific strategies to prevent the spread of the resistant bacteria.
• Investment  in the search for new antibiotics to keep up with resistance.

Need of the hour is to follow One Health Approach through coherent, integrated, multi sectoral cooperation and actions, as human, animal and environmental health are integrated.

Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-looming-health-crisis/article33235263.ece