The large-scale misuse of antibiotics during the coronavirus pandemic could lead to a catastrophe called antimicrobial resistance. The head of the Bulgarian office of the World Health Organization, Dr. Skender Sila, warned about this. His statement came on the occasion of the World Antibicrobial Awareness Week and Covid-19 which started today and will run until November 24^th.

About 700,000 people worldwide die each year from antimicrobial resistance (AMR), reports indicate. "Especially at this time, when the world is a captive of the coronavirus, we must not forget about the daily needs of medical care or the constant threats to health, such as AMR," said Dr. Skender Sila.

The head of the Bulgarian office of the WHO cites data from a sociological survey in several European countries, according to which self-medication with antibiotics in the previous week varies between 6 and 46% of the population. Between 79 and 96% of people who used the medication were not infected with the coronavirus, while only 8% had a severe Covid-19 infection.

Another worrying fact is that 72% of coronavirus patients were treated with antibiotics, although only 8% had a bacterial or fungal infection. "This practice will not only lead to an increase in the illicit use of antibiotics worldwide, but will also contribute to the deepening of the problem of antimicrobial resistance," Dr. Skender Sila explained.

The representative of the WHO for Bulgaria recommends that Bulgaria should activate the National Action Plan against antimicrobial resistance. According to the state health inspector Dr. Angel Kunchev, the plan should have come into force last year, but organizational problems with the 20 departments included in it have delayed its beginning.

Angel Kunchev warns that in hospitals only the cheapest antibiotics are used, and self-medication is widely used in pre-hospital care. Antibiotics should be taken only with a doctor's prescription, and the amount and duration of treatment indicated by the doctor should be observed, the Kunchev stressed.

"If from now until spring all people wear masks all the time, the lives of 246,000 people will be saved," Dr. Skender Sila said. Therefore, he stressed the importance of keeping a distance, of washing hands, of avoiding crowds, of controlling those quarantined. Skender Sila also said that it is important to get vaccinated against the flu in order to avoid co-infection.

English Rossitsa Petcova

Photos: BTA and BGNES