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THE WORLD HEALTH Organisation (WHO) has warned that the world is running out of effective antibiotics and that antimicrobial resistance is a global health emergency. They outlined that growing resistance to drugs that fight infections could “seriously jeopardise” progress made in modern medicine.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 25,000 people die in Europe every year from pathogens (bugs) that are resistant to antibiotics, and four million patients across the EU are struck down with a healthcare-related infection each year. Every 10 minutes, someone somewhere in the world dies because an antibiotic didn’t work.
WHO has identified 12 pathogens which cause relatively common conditions including pneumonia and urinary tract infections that are increasingly resistant to currently available antibiotics. This is extremely worrying because WHO is not satisfied at the rate of progress in the development of new antibiotics. Meanwhile, a 2016 report from the Department of Health shows that antibiotic consumption rates in Ireland are increasing.
A problem that concerns us all
Simply put, we are taking more antibiotics than ever before at a time when antibiotic resistance is increasing and not enough new antibiotics which are capable of dealing with common pathogens are being developed.
This is a problem that should concern us all, and there is something we can do to help. The repeated and improper use of antibiotics is the single most important factor leading to antibiotic resistance in Ireland and around the world. If we allow antibiotic resistance to grow, the antibiotics used to treat infections today will become ineffective or will stop working altogether in the future.
This will not only cripple our ability to fight routine infections but will also undermine the treatment of more complicated infections, especially in patients with chronic diseases, and may make currently routine surgery unviable and potentially life-threatening.
Should only be taken when absolutely necessary
Antibiotics can also have a number of side-effects and, therefore, should be taken only when absolutely necessary. One in five people who take antibiotics will get side-effects such as diarrhoea, upset tummy or a rash, which may cause more misery than the illness the antibiotic was prescribed for.
They can also interfere with other medications you may be taking (like cholesterol-lowering drugs and oral contraception), or cause further illnesses like thrush. Much more rarely, antibiotics can cause side-effects serious enough to land you in hospital, such as a Clostridium Difficile infection.
It has been medically proven that antibiotics are only effective for bacterial infections and do not work for the common cold, or for coughs, sore throats or sinus infections which are caused by viruses. It is important to remember too that flu is an extremely contagious respiratory illness and can lead to serious illness, even death, particularly for elderly patients and those suffering from chronic illnesses or a weakened immune system.
Antibiotics will not cure the flu. The flu vaccination is the best way to reduce your chances of getting seasonal flu and spreading it to others.
Patient expectations
There can be an expectation that if you go to a GP with certain symptoms, you should be prescribed antibiotics. This pressure on healthcare professionals is contributing to the rise in antibiotic resistance, as antibiotics are taken unnecessarily.
Pressure is also put on healthcare budgets and hospital waiting lists; the ECDC reports that multidrug-resistant bacteria results in an additional €1.5 billion in healthcare costs in the EU each year.
The annual European Antibiotic Awareness Day (November 18) aims to educate the public and encourage healthcare professionals to ensure appropriate usage of antibiotics.
Daragh Connolly is President of The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU). The IPU is the representative and professional body for community pharmacists in Ireland. Over 2,200 pharmacists are registered as members of the IPU, representing 95% of community pharmacies in Ireland.
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it so hard being the wife of multi millionaire footballers these days..especially in the world of social media….thank heavens we still have quality journalism to keep us all informed of the dramatic distractions …i mean… events….of such national importance.
@Dave Hammond: Rebekah’s reply was: “I can’t believe this…I’m pregnant and on holiday”
@Dave Hammond: The best part is we exist in a post phone-hacking world and yet the first assumption, at least by Coleen and the vast majority, is still that this information was “legitimately” obtained by the Sun…
On a completely unrelated note, I have this inheritance money from my Botswanan Great-Aunt and I just need some help moving it into the country…
@John Considine: what you need is a shyster, plenty of them in Ireland.
@John Considine: No way John. We most be cousins as I too have the same aunt! If you, and any other long lost cousins out there want to send me €500 each, to cover admin expenses, I’ll organise a family reunion??
@Dave Hammond: the funny thing is that these stories always get waaaay more views than any others. We must be all wag fans….
@John Considine: Of all the African countries you could have chose you picked the least corrupt. Also your Aunt is Motswana.
@Stevie Doran: she shouldn’t be flying if shes that heavily pregnant
I had to ‘google’ who is Rebekah Vardy and despite that this is one of the best stories I’ve this year. People are calling Rooney WAGatha Christie on Twitter.
@Smidgen Dublin: she’s the partner of one of my key fantasy football strikers and good value goal goat Jamie Vardy. So when you read about a WAG it’s their partner who is famous. No need to google really.
@Chewey Bacca: I foudn that out through google. No need to reply and explain. Really.
@Smidgen Dublin: please remove yourself from google and the internet. People are commuting to pay their carbon tax reading your nonsense. Suggest you post something on the Turkey Kurds story.
@Chewey Bacca: please remove yourself from google and the internet. People are commuting to pay their carbon tax reading your nonsense. Suggest you post something on the Turkey Kurds story.
Sc#mBag Newspaper!!!!
I wasted 2 minutes of my life reading this story…
@Michael Geraghty Bodycoach:
Really??? Now you can understand Brexit….
Can’t believe the Rooney’s basement didn’t flood… I was so certain…
I feel betrayed now…
@Cowboy Paddy: hahaha same
My American cousin once asked politely… Why do all English footballers seem thick?
Hope he is not reading this!
Can I suggest bikini mud wrestling? No.
@Vin: solves everything!
This is not sports news, must be a slow day, this belongs in the gossip page
Chat s**t, get banged
Classy.
Oh I put stuff online and somehow other people saw it . I wonder how duh !!
Why is this thrash even news Jesus wept, keep this for glossy women’s mags, mainstream media outlets are becoming progressively worse all the time, there was a time when nonsense like this would have been frowned upon now the dumbed down generation lap it up.. Sad
@Jonny: or you could always just mind your own business.
@Jonny: Yet it’s at the top of the most popular stories clicked on.
@David: there’s always one.. Dear me
@Thunder Snowman: yeah women and millenials
Self proclaimed Liverpool fan selling stories to the S#n. Disgusting.
@Fergus O’Connor: You are assuming she did it, and that she wasn’t hacked. No true Liverpudlian would deal with the Sun, even if she detested Rooney, which it doesn’t seem like she does…
Who gives a s*it?!!
Mrs vardy has said that she did not need the money which sounds plausible enough but the sun may have had info on her. The sun and its readers are the bad guys here
@Noel O Sullivan: nail on the head. The sh*trag wouldn’t exist if the knuckledraggers didn’t buy it. That’s who I blame.
Rebekah if its any consolation you are my no strings.
#Dontbuythesun #totaleclipseofthesun
2 clowns
I think I’ll take Vardy out of my Fantasy football team now . And he great fixtures coming up…. flip
Cute move ,i like it….
Rebekah Vardy should ask for an extension on the friendship like Boris
How about learning some decorum and not sharing anything on any digital medium and keeping your cake hole shut about your short and pathetic life, love.
You have to be careful how you speak and treat your family and friends. I heard of relatives and friends that dont speak after years of friendship.
Wealthy women gasbagging. News.
When I seen John Duggan retweet it, I taught to myself. Is this where we’re at now!!
Conal thomas. Get a real job man. This has nothing to do with sport. You’re a very sad man
A battle of their fake t*ts will sort this out.rooney playing around again
It must be great to have the time
It’s funny if you go through the female sports articles on the 42 there’s zero comments in the comments section but two wags fighting and the comments section goes into melt down lol
@Jason Fogarty: and the funnier thing is, the majority of comments are from men
@Suzanne Bell: I know they should be ashamed for bringing themselves into disrepute lol
Who is Coleen Rooney??
#buythesun
This will send Wayne over the edge….any granny hookers in the vicinity are in the crosshairs.
Maybe Boris could mediate for them… he’s mighty at negotiating
Who is Colleen Rooney??
#buythesun
I don’t blame anyone only you Conal .. RUBBISH ..
She is no friend
To the 42 ::what the hell is this doing on the 42::you are about “”SPORT “” not this sh#t for GOD sack have some pride for your NAME
Coleen Rooney better have all her ducks in a row, otherwise she may will be on the receiving end of a Libel action me thinks.
I honestly couldn’t give a s##t,when your famous and have a social media account your private life is over,plus without having proper prove Coleen could be sued for slander etc!
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