The WHO warns of a dangerous consumption of antibiotics in some countries, Europe News & Top Stories



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GENEVA (AFP) – The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Monday (Oct. 12) that antibiotic use was dangerously high in some countries, while a shortage in of others caused a risky misuse, resulting in the emergence of deadly infections by superbugs. 19659002] In a first, the United Nations health agency said it had collected data on the use of antibiotics in large parts of the world and found large differences in consumption.

The report, based on 2015 data from 65 countries and regions, showed a significant difference in consumption rates ranging from about four so-called daily defined doses (DDD) per 1,000 population per day in Burundi to more than 64 in Mongolia.

"The big difference in the use of antibiotics around the world indicates that some countries are probably using antibiotics, while other countries may not have sufficient access to these medicines that are lives, "warned WHO in a statement.

Discovered in the 1920s, antibiotics saved dozens of factories. fighting bacterial diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis and meningitis.

But over the decades, bacteria have learned to resist, developing resistance to the same drugs that have already reliably defeated them.

The WHO has warned several times. the world is sorely lacking in effective antibiotics and last year he urged governments and major pharmaceutical companies to create a new generation of drugs to combat ultra-resistant supergerms.

"The misuse and misuse of antibiotics are the leading causes of antimicrobial resistance" Hill, chief of the WHO's essential drugs department, said in a statement.

"Without effective antibiotics and other antimicrobials, we will lose our ability to treat common infections such as pneumonia," she warned.

"URGENT ACTION" [19659011] Bacteria can become resistant when patients use antibiotics that they do not need or complete, giving the half-defeated bug a chance to recover and strengthen its immunity.

Hill insisted that the findings "confirm the need to take urgent measures, such as the enforcement of prescription-only policies, to reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics" . The excessive use of antibiotics is worrisome, added the WHO, pointing out the small number of cases.

"Resistance can occur when people can not afford full treatment or have access only to substandard or falsified medicines," he said. The report showed important differences in antibiotic consumption even within regions.

In Europe, which provided the most comprehensive data for the report, the average consumption of antibiotics was around 18 DDD per 1,000 population per day.

But in the region, Turkey, which ranked first with more than 38 DDD, had a consumption nearly five times higher than Azerbaijan, the smallest consumer country, with less than eight DDDs. .

The WHO has acknowledged that the picture of how antibiotics are used in the world is far from complete.

Monday's overview, for example, includes only four countries in Africa, three in the Middle East and six in the Asia-Pacific region.

The university is particularly missing on the board. United States, China and India.

The WHO emphasized that many countries faced major difficulties in collecting reliable data, including lack of funds and trained personnel.

Since 2016, the UN agency supports data collection in 57 developing countries. Middle-income countries are seeking to put in place a standardized system for monitoring the use of antibiotics.

"Reliable data on antibiotic consumption is essential to help countries raise awareness about the appropriate use of antimicrobials," said WHO.

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