Seminar on rational use of antibiotic held

Rawalpindi: Physicians, young doctors, paramedics, students and faculty members of Rawalpindi Medical University converged at Holy Family Hospital here Monday for an awareness seminar on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

Organised by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Ministry of National Health Services in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) and Rawal-pindi Medical University (RMU), the seminar followed the theme ‘Change can’t wait. Our time with antibiotics is running out,’ and culminated with an awareness walk.

This seminar was part of a series of activities being arranged to commemorate World Antibiotic Awareness Week. Its aim was to sensitize the general public and healthcare workers about the need for rational use of antibiotics and to promote best practices to minimize their widespread use.

Dr. Afrinish Amir, Laboratory Coordinator, NIH presented a global and national overview of AMR resistance, and the existing misuse of antibiotics all over the world in different forms. Dr. Nasim Akhtar, Infectious Disease Physician at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) discussed the precautions to be taken by paramedical staff to prevent the risk of bacterial transmission and antibiotic resistance among patients. “Increasing nosocomial infection within hospital setting is also an alarming situation which are very hard to treat due to anti-microbial resistance,” she added.

The session concluded with a brief message by the Vice Chancellor of Rawal-pindi Medical University Dr. Muhammad Umar, who highlighted the significance of finding a permanent solution to the problem.