A new survey released by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO Europe) raised the alarm about the unchecked use of antibiotics, highlighting a troubling trend in its 14 member states, reported Xinhua.
According to a WHO Europe press release published on Thursday, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), one of the top ten global health threats, causes over five million deaths annually, with more than 500,000 of those deaths occurring in the European region.
The survey, published in the journal Frontiers, involved 8,221 participants across 14 countries in the Western Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia. It found that a significant portion of the population there could obtain antibiotics without a medical prescription.
It revealed that 67 percent of antibiotics were prescribed or administered for viral infections like colds and flu, against which antibiotics are ineffective. Alarmingly, only 37 percent of respondents reported receiving information on avoiding unnecessary antibiotic use in the past year.
Furthermore, a mere 16 percent correctly answered all antibiotic awareness-related questions, revealing a significant knowledge gap.
Robb Butler, director of WHO Europe's Division of Communicable Diseases, Environment and Health, stressed the necessity of education and awareness and the importance of enforcing existing regulations to curb misuse.
"All countries in our region have regulations in place to protect precious antibiotics from misuse, for example, preventing over-the-counter sales without a prescription. Enforcing these regulations would solve most antibiotic misuse among humans," he said in the press release.
WHO Europe supports its member countries through initiatives like the Tailoring Antimicrobial Resistance Programmes (TAP) toolbox.
However, without immediate intervention, WHO Europe warns that AMR could cause up to ten million deaths annually by 2050, disproportionately affecting low and middle-income countries and exacerbating global health inequalities.
- WHO
- Antibiotic use
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
