Anti Microbial Resistance

Medicines play an important role in healthcare delivery, and when used correctly, they can help treat diseases, relieve symptoms, and alleviate patient pain. The rational use of medicines demands that patients receive medications that are suitable to their health needs, in doses that satisfy their own specific requirements, over an adequate period of time, and at the lowest possible cost to them and their community (2). Nonetheless, irrational medicine use is a significant concern in many countries.

According to WHO, more than half of all medication are prescribed, dispensed, or marketed incorrectly, and half of all patients do not take them correctly. Medicine overuse, underuse, or misuse wastes scarce resources and poses widespread health risks. One of the most common irrational use of medicines is the inappropriate use of antimicrobials, that further leads to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

AMR emerges as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites adapt to antibiotics, resulting in drug inefficiency and persistent infections, as well as an increase in the risk of serious illness and transmission. AMR is a huge global threat to people's health, jeopardizing the ability to prevent and treat a variety of infectious diseases. In the eastern Mediterranean region, AMR is being exacerbated due to a lack of laboratory capability, antimicrobial stewardship, and good data.

The health workforce is vital to providing high-quality health care. The capacity of health systems to perform well and respond effectively to health challenges such as AMR is based on a health workforce that is trained, effective, empowered, adequately qualified, and well-managed. The Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030 has stressed the critical importance of identifying health workforce challenges through effective training and education. Recognizing this need, IAPH has developed training curriculum on AMR-related issues targeting the health care professionals.