If there is one thing we have learned from the current pandemic, it’s this: we all have to work together to protect our collective health.
Individual actions like handwashing, wearing masks and social distancing help protect everyone from COVID-19. In the same way, using antibiotics responsibly helps protect Filipinos both now and in the future from life-threatening infections.
This is the message from Pfizer Philippines and the Philippine College of Physicians as they join the WHO and other global organizations for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week on November 18-24, 2020. The initiative aims to increase awareness on antimicrobial resistance and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections.
The Problem of Antimicrobial Resistance
The introduction of antimicrobials in the 1940s revolutionized medicine, saving countless lives by giving doctors the tools to fight disease-causing bacteria, viruses and other microbes. However, over the years, exposure to antimicrobials has given these germs the opportunity to evolve, resulting in drug-resistant microbes.2 Older antimicrobials are not effective in killing these drug-resistant germs so that when a patient is infected, newer, more expensive drugs need to be used. This results in both greater risk and greater expense for the patient.
Antimicrobial resistant infections cause 700,000 deaths worldwide every year. If we all do nothing, this number is projected to rise to 10 million deaths annually by 2050.
In the Philippines, experts have been tracking this phenomenon for the past 30 years. The 2018 DOH report noted that resistance had been increasing for most of the bacteria under study and gave recommendations on how to improve treatment.
How Filipinos can Help Fight Antimicrobial Resistance
There is concern that the COVID-19 pandemic could worsen the problem of antimicrobial resistance.5 Antimicrobials are being used a lot more these days, not just to treat patients with COVID-19, but also for patients who might not really need them.
Filipinos can help fight antibiotic resistance by using antibiotics responsibly. If someone is worried that they have an infection, they should consult with a doctor first. It is encouraged to avoid taking antibiotics unless a doctor prescribes them, and that patients should make sure to follow instructions on how to take them properly.
More and more Filipino doctors are doing their part. The Philippine College of Physicians regularly holds training to keep all of its members updated on the latest research about antimicrobials and infections. Their continued efforts help ensure that these drugs are only used for patients who need them, so that they can stay effective for future generations.
As part of the healthcare sector, Pfizer Philippines continues to be involved in the fight against antibiotic resistance. Working together with the government and other stakeholders, they continue to support measures that enable innovation in the development of new antibiotics and vaccines to help curb the spread of antimicrobial resistance. As an industry leader in antimicrobial stewardship,6 Pfizer has multiple programs in place, including ATLAS, one of the largest antibiotic and antifungal surveillance programs in the world,7 and Pfizer Foundation, which helps strengthen health systems in low- to middle-income countries against the threat of infectious diseases.
