Taking antibiotics when they are not needed accelerates the emergence of antibiotic resistance, one of the biggest threats to global health.
This is the take home message disseminated by the Department of Health in the weeklong awareness against the misuse of antibiotics.
Experts say every year, at least 700,000 people around the world die from infections with superbugs that are resistant to antibiotics – and this is predicted to rise to 10 million by 2050.
Taking antibiotics when you do not need them speeds up antibiotic resistance.
“Antibiotic resistant infections are more complex and harder to treat and can affect anyone, of any age and race,” said Vali Karo – pharmaceutical manager of Department of Health.
The National Department of Health is reminding the public that not all infections can be treated with antibiotics.
Take antibiotics per the prescription, do not demand for antibiotics without the approval of a health care professional and always seek the advice of a qualified health practitioner when taking them.
Karo used the drastic increase in TB and HIV/AIDS infections to draw attention to the seriousness of antibiotic misuse.
The weeklong antibiotic awareness will culminate with the signing of the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance on the 20th of November, 2017.