Government approves new strategy to combat antibiotic resistance
Kyiv • UNN
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a state strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance until 2030. The plan envisages expanding the network of laboratories and strengthening control in healthcare facilities.
The Cabinet of Ministers praised the state strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance until 2030 and its implementation plan for 2024-2026. In particular, it is planned to expand the national network of microbiological laboratories, strengthen the infection control system at the level of medical institutions and epidemiological surveillance of resistant pathogens. This was reported by UNN with reference to the Ministry of Health.
Details
According to Health Minister Viktor Lyashko, antibiotic resistance threatens the effective treatment of all infections, from pneumonia and tuberculosis to the recovery of patients after surgery. According to him, bacterial resistance to antimicrobial drugs is currently causing more deaths in the world than HIV or malaria.
In Ukraine, the number of injuries is growing during the war, doctors are facing an increase in the number of infectious agents resistant to antimicrobial drugs
To counteract this, Lyashko pointed out that over the past 3.5 years, the number of bacteriological laboratories has almost doubled from 37 to 79, treatment and antibiotic prescription protocols for doctors have been updated, infection control standards have been approved, and routine surveillance for antimicrobial resistance, in particular among those wounded during the war, is being strengthened .
"However, the main task for patients is to stop self-medicating, not to prescribe medicines on their own and to take medicines exactly as prescribed by a doctor; for healthcare workers (from nurses to managers) - to comply with the standard of infection control," said Lyashko.
The government-approved national strategy for combating antimicrobial resistance provides for:
- Strengthening the infection control system in healthcare facilities.
- Improving the capacity of bacteriological laboratories.
-Implementation of a surveillance system for AMR pathogens and antimicrobial consumption.
-Strengthening measures to ensure animal welfare, veterinary and epizootic well-being in the context of countering the spread of pathogens from AMR.
-Raising awareness of the public, medical and veterinary professionals on infection prevention and counteracting the spread of pathogens from AMR.
-Strengthening human resources and conducting research.
Recall
In 2015, the WHO launched a global surveillance system for the use of antimicrobials. Ukraine joined it a few years ago. In particular, ceftriaxone and levofloxacin were transferred to the reserve group of antibiotics in the country. That is, in order to prescribe them, a doctor must first provide a written justification and approval from a clinical pharmacist for the prescription of these antibiotics.
