Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) can be defined as a condition when microbes become insensitive to antibiotic treatment used to treat the infections they cause. AMR is due to modifications that occur within a microbe. These can include decreased uptake of antibiotics, target modifications, antibiotic inactivation or increased efflux of the antibiotic. AMR is caused by poor prescribing of antibiotics, poor infection control, and poor adherence to treatment, poor hygiene, misuse of antibiotics among animals, poor sanitation and lack of new antibiotics being developed. AMR has an economic burden since it leads to prolonged hospital stay. It also results in spread of infections that are difficult to treat. The fight against Antibiotic resistance is composed of mainly surveillance and mass awareness campaigns. The One health concept has also been emphasized as an essential part of the fight against Antibiotic Resistance.
I have been engaging in Awareness campaigns across several social media platforms and I hope to engage in projects in line with Awareness, misuse of antibiotics, pharmacists’ involvement in misuse of antibiotics and surveillance.
“Antimicrobial resistance will pull down economies if not controlled at its infant stage”