GoS, WHO, FAO, and OIE fight antimicrobial resistance with new national plan

KHARTOUM, 25 July 2017 To help stop antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from killing millions and costing the global economy trillions of dollars, partners from the health and agriculture sectors are coming together in Khartoum, Sudan from 24-27 July to draft a national action plan. By the year 2050, resistance to life-saving antimicrobial drugs such as antibiotics is estimated to cost the world 10 million lives and US$ 100 trillion per year. In many countries, including Sudan, bacteria, viruses and other pathogens are becoming more resistant to antimicrobial drugs because of inappropriate or excessive use of these drugs in the health and agriculture sectors. “To stop the life-threatening antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the public health and agriculture sectors must work hand in hand on several issues at the same time,” says Dr. Naeema Al Gasseer, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative for Sudan. “Laws and regulations about drug use and the prohibition of fake or poor quality drugs must be strengthened and enforced. Patients must steer clear of fake antimicrobial drugs, only obtaining their medicine from the proper health professionals and follow their doctor’s prescriptions to the end; and overprescription and overuse must be stopped.” Babagana Ahmadu, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative for Sudan, adds, “The same issues apply in the agriculture sector, as well as the need for proper hygiene and waste management when handling...
Source: WHO EMRO News - Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news