Nuusita Ashipala
OSHAKATI – Chief pharmacist in the Oshana region Justus Ekandjo has encouraged patients to finish prescribed antibiotics to prevent antibiotic resistance, which has become a global health challenge.
He emphasised that the intention of antibiotics is to kill the bacteria causing the disease.
“If the course is not finished, it means the bacteria is not eradicated. Those that are not eradicated will begin to multiply and change into a form that will no longer be able to respond to the treatment,” Ekandjo said at the just-ended anti-microbial commemoration week.
The event sought to create awareness amongst healthcare workers on the importance of handling anti-microbial agents properly, as well as dealing with anti-microbial resistance.
The week is observed annually between 18-24 November.
Ekandjo also discouraged the storing of antibiotics for future use or the sharing of antibiotics with people whom the treatment is not prescribed for.
That can also lead to anti-microbial resistance.
Other presenters encouraged a healthy patient-healthcare worker relationship, which entails engaging and educating patients that not every infection requires an antibiotic.
Chief medical officer Asumani Kibandwa said anti-microbial resistance undermines the effectiveness of antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals, which are relied on to treat infections and save lives.
“If left unchecked, this silent pandemic could reverse the progress we have made in modern medicine, making routine medical procedures risky, and rendering previously treatable infections untreatable,” the official warned.
Kibandwa further said efforts such as the commemoration of the day present an opportunity to make a difference in safeguarding the future of healthcare.
“This interactive platform will enable us to explore potential solutions, innovative research and best practices that can be adopted to combat anti-microbial resistance at both individual and global levels,” Kibandwa said.
*Nuusita Ashipala is an information officer at MICT, Oshana.