For all the effort going into preventing HCAIs by disinfecting surfaces in hospitals, progress is decidedly slow in reducing the inappropriate use of antibiotics that caused the disease organisms to become resistant in the first place.
European Antibiotic Awareness Day on 18 November marked the launch of a European Commission multi-disciplinary strategy to combat antibiotic resistance.
MRSA may be retreating in some countries, but carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is increasing and is now spreading to several European countries. According to Marc Sprenger, Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the need for concerted action to curb growing resistance is now critical.
Together with good hand hygiene by healthcare workers, prudent use of antibiotics is paramount to prevent and control resistant bacteria.
This is not just a European problem, but is a major global public health concern. European Antibiotic Awareness Day, the US’s Get Smart About Antibiotics Week and the Canadian Antibiotic Awareness Week were launched simultaneously to show global solidarity in addressing the issue.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is launching an antibiotic tracking system that allows hospitals to monitor antibiotic use electronically and make better decisions about how to improve use. To some, this may all seem too little too late, but a radical rethink of prescribing policies will need the collaboration not only of patients, doctors and healthcare providers, but also governments and policy makers.
Better start now, then.
