Educating health professionals on antibiotic alternatives and making infection control teams more multidisciplinary will be part of the country's first antimicrobial resistance (AMR) action plan.
Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Food Safety Minister David Bennett today jointly released the initial report of the antimicrobial resistance action planning group and said tackling the global issue required a 'one-team approach' from diverse experts including scientists, veterinarians, infectious disease experts, microbiologists, GPs and specialist nurses.
The report noted that AMR threatens to severely undermine the modern health system and infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms are already responsible for an estimated 700,000 deaths worldwide each year and could rise to 10 million a year by 2050 if the world failed to act.
Dr Sally Roberts, the Health Quality & Safety Commission's clinical lead for infection prevention and control said in response to the report that while New Zealand had a comparatively low prevalence of antimicrobial resistance compared to other countries but couldn't ignore the growing global issue.
‘New Zealand has a similar rate of antibiotic consumption in the community when compared to Australia but a higher rate when compared with some European countries, indicating that there is considerable room for improvement in prescribing practices in both countries," said Roberts.
The report says research indicates that antibiotic prescribing has increased dramatically in recent years in New Zealand – by up to 49 per cent between 2006 and 2014 and increased during winter months.
"Education is important for all prescribers and dispensers of antimicrobials for human and animal health so that they prescribe and dispense appropriately and consider alternatives to antibiotics for managing bacterial diseases," says the report with the first of its five objectives focusing on improving AMR awareness understanding amongst both health professionals and consumers. (See all objectives below.)
Another objective focuses on infection prevention and control (IPC) where it notes that " to date, New Zealand’s IPC workforce has been primarily nurse based; however it is recognised that a multidisciplinary approach is needed to effectively prevent the occurrence and spread of health care associated infections and AMR in health care facilities, including residential care facilities". It recommends developing and updating national IPC guidelines and promoting a "cohesive and sustainable one-team approach to IPC functions in all health care facilities."
Roberts says consumers can also help prevent AMR by not expecting to be prescribed antibiotics for coughs and colds.
"Doctors, pharmacists, dentists, midwives and nurse prescribers who take the time to explain why 'using antibiotics with care' will benefit us all, are also helping create a culture in New Zealand that values antibiotics as a precious global resource."
The full report is available on the Ministry of Health website
The action planning group's five objectives are:
1. Improve awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), including the implications and actions required to combat antimicrobial resistance, through effective communication, education and training.
2. Strengthen the knowledge and evidence base about AMR through research and surveillance.
3. Improve infection prevention and control measures across human health and animal care settings to prevent infection and the transmission of micro-organisms.
4. Optimise the use of antimicrobial medicines for human, animal and plant health, which includes maintaining and enhancing the regulation of animal and plant antimicrobials.
5. Establish and support clear governance, collaboration and investment arrangements so that the approach to minimising AMR is sustainable.
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