Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing public health threat globally.
Cognizant that antibiotic overuse and misuse in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic may potentially exacerbate the AMR situation in the country and may put stewardship efforts at risk, the DOH (Department of Health) acknowledged the more urgent need to implement antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) principles amid the pandemic in order to mitigate the unintended long-term consequences associated with antibiotic overuse during this time.
On Tuesday (November 15), the DOH has expressed their concern on the practice of self-medication which the agency observed is also increasing.
“Alam natin dito sa Pilipinas, ang Pilipino mahilig mag-doctor,” DOH Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
Vergeire said that instead of going to the doctor, some people will go directly to the pharmacy and buy medicine and take it without the guidance of the doctors.
She noted that antimicrobial resistance has been a long-standing problem in the health sector.
“Yung [The) multi-drug resistant tuberculosis is the best example…If you note of, yung ating multi-drug resistant. Tuberculosis (TB), that’s the best example for antimicrobial resistance. Ito pong multi-drug resistant TB, ito po yung mga pasyente na meron silang tuberculosis, pero yung mga usual drugs na ginagamot natin para sa tuberculosis, hindi na nagiging epektibo sa kanila kasi resistant na sila doon sa ibang mga gamot na iniinom [This multi-drug resistant TB, these are patients who have tuberculosis, but the usual drugs that we use to treat them are no longer effective because they are already resistant to some medicines that they are taking] against TB,” Vergeire explained.
To address such problem, the DOH official said that they had been communicating with various government agencies to strengthen their advocacy and regulate antimicrobials.
The Philippines, as one of the forefront World Health Organization (WHO) member states actively fighting against AMR, observes the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) every November of each year.
This year, WAAW will be observed from November 18 to 24 with the local theme, “Sama-samang magtulungan upang antimicrobial resistance ay mapigilan.”
Given the inter-relatedness of human and animal health, plant production, food safety, and the environment in both the evolution of AMR and the solutions to this problem, tackling it effectively requires concerted action across all sectors, applying the One Health Approach, the DOH said.
“With this theme, we engage stakeholders across all relevant sectors to collaborate and work together in raising awareness on AMR and in being stewards of rational and responsible use of antimicrobials to prevent the further emergence and spread of AMR,” the DOH added.
The local celebration is termed as Philippine Antimicrobial Awareness Week (PAAW) and this has been observed since 2015.
In relation to this, the DOH issued a Department Circular to align and provide guidance in the nationwide campaign to raise AMR awareness during the celebration of the PAAW.
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