Minister Urges Greater Advocacy for Stronger Regulations on Antibiotics Use

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, is urging greater advocacy for stronger regulations on antibiotics use in humans and animals, to curb the rise in Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illnesses and death.

As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective and infections become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat.

In a message read by Chief Veterinary Officer in the Ministry’s Veterinary Services Division, Dr. Osbil Watson, during the VSD World Antimicrobial Awareness Week ceremony on Tuesday (November 19) at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus in St. Andrew, Mr. Green said the effects of AMR have widespread impact across the health, economic and productive sectors.

“We need to advocate for prudent use of antibiotics in both human and animal settings. It is critical that these lifesaving medicines are only used when absolutely necessary and prescribed correctly,” he said.

Mr. Green said the consequences of AMR on human health are already becoming evident with an increasing number of common infections, such as Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), tuberculosis and pneumonia becoming harder to treat due to resistance.

The Minister noted that better stewardship of these drugs and robust research into alternative therapies and vaccines are needed.

“Moreover, we need to advocate for increased funding into the development of new antibiotics because, as it stands, the pace at which new antibiotics are being developed is not keeping up with the rise of resistant bacteria,” he said.

Minister Green pointed out that AMR is not only a human health issue, as the veterinary and agricultural sectors are at the heart of this crisis.

The use of antimicrobials in livestock farming, whether to promote growth or prevent disease, contributes to the development of resistant strains of bacteria that can spread to humans.

“When animals treated with antibiotics become infected with resistant bacteria, the consequences on both animal and human health can be severe. Zoonotic diseases, those that can be transferred between animals and humans, become even more dangerous when resistant bacteria are involved,” Mr. Green pointed out.

The Minister urged all stakeholders to take the necessary steps to curb the rise of AMR.

“This means adhering to the proper antibiotic use, following the doctor’s prescriptions, never demanding antibiotics for viral infections and completing the full course of antibiotic treatment, as prescribed,” he said, noting that better hygiene and infection control practices are also critical in health care settings to prevent the spread of infections.

Both human and animal health are inextricably linked through the ‘One Health’ approach, which recognises the interconnectedness of the human, animal and the environment.

“AMR is a silent epidemic that [affects all people]. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that if we do not act, we risk returning to an era where even simple infections become deadly,” Minister Green said.

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week is being observed from November 18-24.

It is a global campaign that is celebrated annually to improve awareness and understanding of AMR and encourage best practices among the public, One Health stakeholders and policymakers, who all play a critical role in reducing the further emergence and spread of AMR.
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A global action plan to tackle the growing problem of resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines was endorsed at the 68th World Health Assembly in May 2015.
One of the plan’s key objectives is to improve awareness and understanding of AMR through effective communication, education and training.

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