Implementing the Community Program to Prevent and Combat Antibiotic Resistance

NDO - According to estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO), from 2020 to 2023, Vietnam had about 269,681 deaths due to antibiotic resistance. The high rate of antibiotic resistance in Vietnam is due to many factors such as abuse and overuse of antibiotics, selling antibiotics without a doctor's prescription, and inappropriate antibiotic use.

On November 22, in Hanoi , Sandoz Vietnam Company Limited held a press conference to introduce the implementation of the Community Program to prevent and combat antibiotic resistance in Vietnam, with the theme "The right dose of antibiotics to love your home".

Currently, WHO ranks Vietnam among the countries with the highest antibiotic resistance rates in the world . Since 2009, the number of antibiotics sold in Vietnam has nearly doubled. The main reason is antibiotic abuse, with up to 88% of antibiotics in urban areas being sold without prescription, and up to 91% in rural areas.

In young children, the antibiotic resistance situation is also extremely serious. From the results of screening for children to examination and treatment at medical facilities, it is estimated that about 30% of children have antibiotic-resistant bacteria. One of the reasons children have antibiotic-resistant bacteria is because many children are treated by their parents, grandparents, and grandparents at the pharmacy with inappropriate doses of antibiotics.

According to Mr. Charaf Eddine Kadri, General Director of Sandoz Vietnam, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a silent crisis that threatens to reverse decades of medical progress. It is a complex problem with far-reaching consequences, affecting not only individual patients but entire communities. Misunderstandings about the use of antibiotics have exacerbated the problem, leading to increased resistance and reduced treatment outcomes.

Mr. Charaf Eddine Kadri, General Director of Sandoz Vietnam, spoke at the press conference.

In Vietnam, AMR poses a serious threat to public health by jeopardizing the effectiveness of infection treatment, increasing mortality and increasing health care costs. The crisis jeopardizes critical medical procedures such as surgery and cancer treatment, undermines food security and impacts essential agricultural productivity. Economically, AMR can significantly impede GDP growth, disproportionately affect vulnerable communities and exacerbate health inequalities.

In addition, environmental pollution from antibiotic residues exacerbates the problem, affecting both ecosystems and public health. In addition, environmental pollution from antibiotic residues exacerbates the problem, affecting both ecosystems and public health.

Mr. Charaf Eddine Kadri added that as a world leader in antibiotics, Sandoz has a responsibility to address the issue of antibiotic resistance by being proactive in reaching out to the public. By working with health authorities and leveraging multiple communication channels, Sandoz aims to empower Vietnamese families to contribute to a healthier future through responsible antibiotic use and thereby create a real impact on antibiotic prevention across Vietnam.

The Program Responding to the National Strategy on Antibiotic Resistance Prevention and Control in Vietnam for the period 2023-2030 according to Decision No. 1121/QD-TTG of the Prime Minister, aims to call on people to take action to prevent and combat antibiotic resistance to protect people, society and future generations of the country. With the theme "Antibiotics in the right dose - Enough love for the home", this community program aims to address the serious global health threat with significant impact in Vietnam, affecting people's health and the country's sustainable health development.

Delegates attending the press conference.

The program initiated by Sandoz Vietnam will be implemented over a five-year period, from November 1, 2024 to December 31, 2028, focusing on accessing information and educating the community widely to raise awareness about responsible antibiotic use. Specifically, in 2024, Sandoz plans to implement a series of large-scale educational activities such as: Through videos to increase community awareness of AMR, which will be shown on outdoor screens in visible locations, crowded places; At the same time, Sandoz will also build and develop a website on the topic of antibiotic resistance, providing in-depth information, articles, information maps and videos explaining AMR in an attractive and easily accessible way.

In addition, Sandoz Vietnam Co., Ltd. will coordinate with Children's Hospital 2 and the National Children's Hospital during Antibiotic Resistance Awareness Week to design information booths at the hospital, helping patients and their relatives understand the importance of responsible antibiotic use, Mr. Charaf Eddine Kadri shared.

At the press conference, Pharmacist Nguyen Thi Kim Anh, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Pharmacy Association and President of the Ho Chi Minh City Pharmacy Association, said: Antibiotics are substances extracted from microorganisms and fungi, synthesized or semi-synthetic, capable of effectively destroying or inhibiting the growth of bacteria. Antibiotics are the "Golden Solution" and are almost indispensable in modern medicine.

Pharmacist Nguyen Thi Kim Anh shares information about antibiotics at the press conference.

However, improper use will turn antibiotics into a double-edged sword. Although antibiotics are necessary, extremely necessary and important, the concept of "Antibiotic resistance" has appeared, due to the following situations: Indiscriminate use of antibiotics, including indiscriminate use of antibiotics in livestock and aquaculture; use of antibiotics without a doctor's prescription; use of the wrong type, wrong dose and wrong content of antibiotics; selling antibiotics without a doctor's prescription at pharmacies; patients not returning for check-ups after taking antibiotics. When antibiotic resistance occurs, the drug will not be able to destroy or eliminate pathogens. The reason is that pathogens, bacteria, fungi or parasites grow in the presence of an antibiotic that can normally kill or limit their growth.

At the press conference, Sandoz representatives and experts in the pharmaceutical field exchanged and discussed the effects of antibiotics, the status of antibiotic resistance in the world and in Vietnam; the programs and activities that Sandoz will deploy in the community in the coming time, with the aim of promoting love and responsibility to the community about the potential dangers caused by antibiotic resistance to people's health and lives.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/trien-khai-chuong-trinh-cong-dong-phong-chong-de-khang-khang-sinh-post846410.html