The importance of a judicious use of antibiotics to prevent the spiralling incidence of drug-resistant microbial infections was the key message of an awareness rally led by the Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists, Puducherry chapter.
Around 400 volunteers including doctors, faculty members, medical, nursing and allied health sciences students, technical staff and other health care staff from all the eight medical colleges in the region, marched to demand urgent action to prevent the misuse/abuse of anti-biotics.
Lt. Governor K. Kailashnathan, flagged off the rally in front of the Gandhi Statue at the Rock Beach that emphasised the urgent need for responsible antibiotic use among medical professionals and the general public and for collaborative efforts to combat this global health challenge.
The rally also highlighted the importance of preventing infections, reducing antibiotic misuse, and fostering awareness at every level of society to combat the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance.
The event was part of a united effort to combat the global crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in response to a call for an annual World AMR Awareness Week by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote responsible antibiotic use and raise awareness of the dangers posed by AMR.
According to experts, AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat. AMR is a leading threat to global public health, endangering lives, increasing healthcare costs, and putting essential surgical procedures at risk.
Some of the important causes for the rise in AMR are over-the-counter use of antibiotics, use of antibiotics for viral illnesses or use of antibiotics without doctor’s recommendation.
Addressing the participants, Rakesh Aggarwal, JIPMER Director, laid stress on a rational use of antibiotics.
S. Sevvel, Health Director, Ramachandra V Bhat, Dean, IGMCRI and J. Shanmugham, senior microbiologist and past president of the Association participated in the rally.
Association president Rakesh Singh, Professor and Head of Microbiology, JIPMER, noted that the rally aimed to inform and empower the public to play a vital role in tackling antimicrobial resistance.
Sheela Devi C, Professor of Microbiology, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Association secretary said “AMR is a silent pandemic; it’s happening in our communities, affecting our families, and making everyday infections difficult to treat”.
Reba Kanungo, senior microbiologist and past president of the Association, urged the public not to take antibiotics for simple fever and sore throat of 2-3 day’s duration.
Published - November 17, 2024 10:50 pm IST
