SLOGAN OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DAY -7-4-11

ANTI-MICROBIAL RESISTANCE :

Antimicrobial resistance is not a new problem but one that is becoming more dangerous;
urgent and consolidated efforts are needed to avoid regressing to the pre-antibiotic era.

On World Health Day 2011, WHO will introduce a six-point policy package to combat the spread of antimicrobial resistance.What drives antimicrobial resistance?

Inappropriate and irrational use of medicines provides favourable conditions for resistant microorganisms to emerge and spread. For example, when patients do not take the full course of a prescribed antimicrobial or when poor quality antimicrobials are used, resistant microorganisms can emerge and spread.

Underlying factors that drive AMR include:

• misusage and wrong usage of antibiotics by QUACKS.
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  inadequate national commitment to a comprehensive and coordinated response, ill-defined accountability and insufficient engagement of communities;
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  weak or absent surveillance and monitoring systems;
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   inadequate systems to ensure quality and uninterrupted supply of medicines .
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  inappropriate and irrational use of medicines, including in animal husbandry:
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  poor infection prevention and control practices; 
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  depleted arsenals of diagnostics, medicines and vaccines as well as insufficient research and development on new products.