The Ministry of Health has sounded the alarm against antibiotic resistance, which is a growing and worrying phenomenon. Luxembourg is the 8th highest antibiotics consumer within the European Union, but also barely uses antibiotics for animals.
The ministry is heavily encouraging the reasonable and correct use of these medications in order to brake resistant bacteria development. Consequently, the ministry has launched a national antibiotics plan.
Antibiotics are one of the great treatment innovations of the 20th century, treating potentially-fatal infections in an effective way. It goes without saying that antibiotics have saved many lives. The issue lies in the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. Misusing antibiotics can lead to bacterial resistance, in turn leading certain medications to lose their effectiveness. As this has already occurred with many bacteria, treating some infections becomes much trickier.
The national plan's goal is to considerably reduce the evolution and passing on of these bacteria which have become resistant to antibiotics. The plan includes recommendations in a number of domains, focusing predominantly on prevention and research. Preventative methods can be as simple as washing hands and using disinfecting products.
Danielle Becker-Bauer, the manager of a pharmacy in Luxembourg, explained that patients must adhere to the duration of the antibiotic treatment prescribed. Even if you feel better, you should still complete the prescribed course of antibiotics. Becker-Bauer also noted a 10% decrease in antibiotics usage.
