The Slow Emergency
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) creeps quietly—until it doesn’t. Routine infections become life-threatening; costs rise; trust erodes. AMR is fueled by over-prescription, non-prescription sales, self-medication, and poor infection prevention.
What I Learned Through COSTAR
In workshops with providers, we emphasized:
- Antibiogram-informed prescribing
- Stop-and-review points in treatment
- Patient counseling to avoid partial dosing and leftover sharing
We also supported community awareness: antibiotics don’t cure viral infections; adherence matters; pharmacies must respect regulations.
The Public Health Playbook
- Surveillance: Collect facility-level resistance patterns that feed national systems.
- Stewardship: Simple prescribing checklists at OPD level.
- Regulation: Enforce prescription-only antibiotic sales.
- IPC Basics: Hand hygiene, sterilization, and waste management save more lives than we admit.
- Messaging: Clear, stigma-free, local-language education.
What Clinicians Tell Me
Time pressure and patient expectations are real. Stewardship tools must be lightweight, align with workflow, and show quick wins (e.g., fewer returns, lower drug costs).
Closing
AMR is not inevitable. With disciplined stewardship and honest communication, we can delay resistance and protect the miracle we take for granted.
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