ID :
367037
Wed, 05/13/2015 - 05:30
Auther :

Malaysian Hospitals At Forefront In War Against Antimicrobial Resistance - Health Minister

PUTRAJAYA, May 13 (Bernama) -- Malaysian hospitals have long been at the forefront of the war against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), said Health Minister Dr S.Subramaniam. He said that the AMR was a global public health threat of high concern all over the world including Malaysia. "The rapid spread of AMR presents health-care systems with serious challenges and threatens their ability to effectively treat severe bacterial infections," he said in his keynote address at the Annual Scientific Meeting on AMR 2015 and launch of the Second Edition of the National Antibiotic Guideline here Tuesday. He said on-going efforts at the regional and global level had been in existence for over 28 years, including the passing of several World Health Assembly resolutions to contain antimicrobial resistance. The need for urgent actions to combat AMR was highlighted again at the 67th World Health Assembly in 2014, Subramaniam said. He said the National Antibiotic Guideline was a guide for healthcare professionals to advocate good prescribing practice. The general public should not pressure doctors for antibiotics because treatment for most outpatient infections such as coughs and colds were caused by viruses and antibiotics were not effective against viruses, he said. "Advice should be given to the patients to get a doctor's prescription if they ask for antibiotics," he said. -- BERNAMA

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