Increasing risk of antibiotic resistance

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Participants during the Antibiotic Awareness Workshop at the Novotel Lami Bay yesterday. Picture: JONA KONATACI

IT is forecasted that in the next 15 to 30 years there will not be enough antibiotics to kill bacteria if antimicrobial resistance is not being properly addressed, says Health Ministry acting chief pharmacist Apolosi Vosanibola.

Mr Vosanibola, who was part of the World Antibiotics Awareness Week mini seminar, said this could also result in many deaths in the country.

“There is lack of inventions of new antibiotics to kill or eradicate any bacteria in either the animal health or the human health and that is where we are focusing on in the awareness,” he said.

“All developed countries have agreed that this is an issue that we need to tackle and reverse antimicrobial resistance.”

He also said this could also result in the Government having to fork out more money.

He said this could lead to more deaths and the cost of health care would be expensive for the Government.

This, he said, were the concerns that had been raised globally and that was why they had introduced this policy in Fiji because they needed to look at the issues which were contributing to antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and some parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from working against it.

The mini seminar was held at the Novotel Suva Lami Bay in Lami.

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