PESHAWAR:Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani Tuesday said legislation would be made to sensitize the public about causes and drawbacks of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
He said this in a seminar as a chief guest held at KP Assembly organized by World Health Organization (WHO) with the support of provincial Health Department to commemorate the ‘World Antimicrobials Awareness Week, 2021’.
Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani thanked WHO for organizing this event and vowed to work on legislation required to create awareness about AMR among people of the province.
He directed the Department of Health to draft a bill on “restricting over the counter sales of Antimicrobials” and table it for the approval of the House.
The event was aimed to increase awareness of global AMR and encourage best practices amongst the general public, health workers, and policy makers to avoid further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections.
Deputy Speaker Mahmood Jan, Chairman Standing Committee on Health and Special Secretary Health, parliamentarians, representative of the Health Department, Director General Drugs Control and Pharmacy Services, developing partners, academia, representatives of Medical Teaching Institutes, private hospitals, individuals from different walks of life attended the seminar.
The participants were briefed by representatives of WHO about the current situation of AMR and its Global Action Plan. WHO presented the burden on the Health Care System around the world posed by AMR and risk associated by the year 2050.
WHO emphasized on the role of government legislators in awareness and education of masses and also stressed upon formulating laws to prevent AMR in the community.
Subsequently, Dr Attaullah from KP Health Department briefed the participants regarding actions being taken by the Department of Health to curb the misuse of antimicrobials and thus reducing AMR.
He stressed on strengthening the AMR surveillance and creating mass awareness.
Currently, there is no mechanism in place in KP to forbid the unnecessary use of antimicrobial drugs in the community.
The event was followed by an awareness walk participated by the speaker, parliamentarians, representatives of the Health Department, Director General Drugs Control and Pharmacy Services, developing partners, academia, representatives of Medical Teaching Institutes, private hospitals, individuals from different walks of life.