Officials of Al-Ahli Hospital during the launching of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week headed by Chief of Medical Staff Dr. Abdul Azim Abdul Wahab Hussain; Director of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Co-Chair of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Taskforce Dr. Mohammad El Ahmadi; and Director of Safety and Quality David Miller. Pic: Rajan Vadakkemuriyil
Al-Ahli Hospital joined the celebration of the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) by calling on the public not to abuse the use of antibiotics and consult a physician for proper medication.
Al-Ahli Hospital Chief of Medical Staff Dr. Abdul Azim Abdul Wahab Hussain told The Peninsula: “If you go few years back in this country, you can pick any medicine in the pharmacy without any prescription, there was a major abuse of the antibiotics, and each pharmacy gives what they have available without any basic science for the disease.”
He added that the WAAW which will conclude on Wednesday, raises awareness to the public on the correct usage of antibiotics. “Some people think that if they take antibiotics at the same time, it will cure them, this is harmful,” he explained.
Dr. Hussain, who is also the Senior Consultant Bariatric and General Surgeon, encouraged the public to see a physician that will give proper prescription.
The Director of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Co-Chair of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Taskforce, Dr. Mohammad El Ahmadi said: “Antibiotics are one of the wonders of modern medicine. They can save lives and are critical tools for treating infections. However, when they are misused, they can lead to unintended consequences, including contributing to the development of antibiotic resistance.”
He explained: “Antimicrobial resistance requires constant vigilance with ongoing information exchange and collaboration. Particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Al-Ahli Hospital continues to promote practices to prevent the spread of germs and improve infection prevention and control measures and antibiotic use across all specialties.”
Director of Safety and Quality, David Miller, said WAAW is “about trying to encourage doctors in particular and healthcare practitioners generally to adapt the best practice standards for prescribing antibiotics, so we only prescribe them for necessary conditions.”
Miller explained that “viral conditions are not affected by antibiotics and there’s no value in prescribing them. What we’re trying to reinforce that point, not only for the healthcare practitioners but also for the community because sometimes people come to hospital with a cold or flu and they expect to get antibiotics, but again, there’s no point in getting them if it’s not going to help.”
Among the programmes lined up under Al-Ahli Hospital include a pledge commitment wall at the lobby where the public can sign their support towards the programme, flyers and education materials distribution, social media campaigns to raise awareness of WAAW and participation of the hospital in an extensive program of education in collaboration of the World Health Organization (WHO).
This year’s WAAW theme is “Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance,” which calls on health stakeholders, policymakers, health care providers, and the general public to be Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness champions.
