MICROBIAL RESISTANCE A GREAT THREAT

As a people I believe we should be more conscious about our health.

In this period where the World Health Organisation is recognising antibiotic awareness, I feel like letting the public know about microbial resistance. Microbial resistance is basically when the microbes that cause various infections can no longer be controlled by the antimicrobials which were initially employed for treatment. These various microbes include fungi, bacteria, viruses and rickettsia, among others. These cause quite a number of infections and these infections include sexually transmitted infections, TB, flu and many more. The antimicrobials that are used to control them include antibiotics, antifungals, and antivirals; and they used to classify them as ‘chemotherapeutic agents’.
All of us in our lifetime have had an infection or are having an infection caused by these microbes. One knows that whenever such a disease comes around a certain treatment approach is usually employed. Now imagine if such infections can no longer be treated by the usual treatment approaches.

As it has been documented such a scenario leads to increased deaths, increased cost to the public and government and more duration of sickness for the infected people. One may say the manufacturing of more effective antimicrobials is key towards this problem. I agree with this but unfortunately it has a huge economic disadvantage that comes with it. I believe that looking for the root cause of microbial resistance would avoid such a problem. Irrational use of antimicrobials leads to the resistance of these microbes; by irrational use we mean the utilisation of antimicrobials in a manner that is considered as not proper in the treatment of an infection caused by microbes. This includes unnecessary use where one would treat a viral infection with antibiotics instead of antivirals, overuse of antimicrobials, taking smaller or huge doses of antimicrobials, sharing antimicrobials which may be purchased over the counter at retail outlets.

To alert the public I would like point out that a study thatb was done recently in one area in Swaziland has developed ineffectiveness towards the bacteria it’s expected to affect. This might be due to the causes highlighted above. Microbial resistance is an increasing threat and its consequences are not pleasant. It’s not the task of health professionals alone to battle this problem but the public at large is also responsible. Now that you know share this information with others so that we all move safe and healthy towards 2022.

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