Knowledge

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious public health problem worldwide. It threatens the very core of modern medicine and the sustainability of an effective, global public health response to the enduring threat from infectious diseases. Systematic misuse and overuse of these drugs in human medicine and food production have put every nation at risk. Few replacement products are in the pipeline. Without harmonized and immediate action on a global scale, the world is heading towards a post-antibiotic era in which common infections could once again kill.

People preparing for surgery should always have a bath or shower but not be shaved, and antibiotics should only be used to prevent infections before and during surgery, not afterwards, according to new guidelines from WHO that aim to save lives, cut costs and arrest the spread of superbugs.

On 21 September 2016, during the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Member States adopted the Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance contained in Resolution A/RES/71/3. This reflected Member States’ recognition of the magnitude of this global problem and consensus about the actions needed to prevent a post-antibiotic era.

Q: What is multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and how do we control it? A: The bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB) can develop resistance to the antimicrobial drugs used to cure the disease. Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is TB that does not respond to at least isoniazid and rifampicin, the 2 most powerful anti-TB drugs. The 2 reasons why […]