Health costs rise as antibiotics stagnate

“We have recognised worldwide that Antimicrobial Resistance is a serious start to health because all the infections we have now a lot of them have a resistance to the currant antibiotics we use. Therefore it is becoming an increasing health cost because we have to use very expensive antibiotics in order for us to address Antimicrobial Resistance. It means it is not just health, it means we have to deal with health, agriculture, and the environment,” Theodore- Gandi explained.

She was addressing stakeholders yesterday at the official opening of a three-day workshop hosted by the Health Ministry and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to discuss the subject, “Antimicrobial Resistance,” at Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, St Ann’s.

She explained that Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi develop resistance against medicines that were previously able to cure them.

Theodore-Gand i noted that many of the animals use for human consumption, antibiotics are also used in their feed, in the breeding of the animals, and in the result of that they have been getting increasing resistance to antibiotics. “This threeday workshop is really to let countries work together and develop their national action plans of how we are going to address Antimicrobial Resistance, and how they are going to work inter-sectoral.” She further added, “It is not just Ministries of Health it really about having everybody has to be involved in this preparation and consultation because it calls for a multi-sectoral action.” Theodore-Gandi indicated that Antimicrobial Resistance has became very important now because Global leaders, heads of State met at the UN assembly in September of this year to discus the same issue. “The last time they met was on HIV and Ebola. This is to tell you of the magnitude why we think Antimicrobial Resistance is so important to address as a matter of urgency. Throughout the world, many times antibiotics are prescribe unnecessary and this is something that is in need of changing,” she explained.