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| LETTER TO EDITOR |
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| Year : 2019 | Volume
: 3
| Issue : 1 | Page : 34 |
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Antimicrobial resistance: Global scenario and its relation with nation's development
Saurabh RamBihariLal Shrivastava1, Prateek Saurabh Shrivastava2
1 Department of Community Medicine, Member of the Medical Education Unit and Institute Research Council, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, India
2 Department of Community Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, India
| Date of Web Publication | 26-Mar-2019 |
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Saurabh RamBihariLal Shrivastava
Department of Community Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, 3rd Floor, Ammapettai Village, Thiruporur - Guduvancherry Main Road, Sembakkam Post, Kancheepuram - 603 108, Tamil Nadu
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | 3 |
DOI: 10.4103/LJMS.LJMS_41_18
How to cite this article:
Shrivastava SR, Shrivastava PS. Antimicrobial resistance: Global scenario and its relation with nation's development. Libyan J Med Sci 2019;3:34 |
How to cite this URL:
Shrivastava SR, Shrivastava PS. Antimicrobial resistance: Global scenario and its relation with nation's development. Libyan J Med Sci [serial online] 2019 [cited 2023 Mar 28];3:34. Available from: https://www.ljmsonline.com/text.asp?2019/3/1/34/254956 |
Globally, owing to the overuse and misuse of medicines for years together, the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a major public health menace.[1],[2] In fact, the microbiologists have brought this phenomenon of the causative microorganisms becoming ineffective against the available medicines due to the haphazard usage of the same in humans and animals.[1] The problem is not given due attention for a significant period, and we have reached such a stage in which we are losing our ability to safeguard the human population against common infections such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and malaria.[1]
Since the concern of AMR has attracted attention from the international leaders, a global action plan has been formulated based on the inputs received from the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, and other agencies since 2015.[3] This has been followed by the development of action plans at national level, involving different sectors so that globally approved policies can be transformed into practice.[3] In fact, 9 out of 10 people are living in those nations which either have an existing action plan or are developing the same to tackle AMR.[3] The findings of a recently conducted survey have shown that considerable gains have been made in the field of training different cadre of health workers on the ways to minimize the spread of AMR, scaling up of the infection prevention and control activities, and strengthening of surveillance to ascertain the precise estimates of the problem.[3]
Even though the threat of AMR has been realized, and steps have been taken to build an effective response, the situation in most of the low-income nations remains quite grim.[1],[3] This is due to the limited laboratory capacity to detect the resistance, minimal support from the government and funding agencies, weak health system, lack of expertise, and that only 30% of such nations have or are in the process to formulate a national plan to respond to the threat.[1],[2],[3] It is a cause of grave concern as very often such nations have to bear the maximum brunt of the problem.[3] Further, we should not be relaxed if we are living in high-income nations, as in the current era, the microorganisms no longer remain restricted to the national borders; instead, they spread with immense ease.[3]
Moreover, we have to realize that the problem of AMR occurs in collaboration with many other challenges, and if we aim to reduce the incidence of AMR, first we have to aim to strengthen the health care delivery system.[1],[2] In other words, AMR is not only a health concern but a developmental issue, where the policymakers should aim to strengthen health, agricultural and environmental systems.[1],[3] There is a need for better funding to finance the required activities, ensure good clinical practices and immunization, improve water sanitation and hygiene practices, and the need of clear-cut guidelines to regulate the use of antibiotics.[1],[2],[3]
To conclude, owing to the ability of AMR to affect the different dimensions of health care, there is an indispensable need to have a coordinated action plan to reduce the risk of emergence and spread of the same.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
| References | |  |
| 1. | |
| 2. | Shrivastava SR, Shrivastava PS, Ramasamy J. Much more is expected from nations to counter antimicrobial resistance: World Health Organization. J Res Med Sci 2015;20:718-9.  [ PUBMED] [Full text] |
| 3. | |
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