Oman will join the rest of the world in observing World Health Day, which falls on April 7. This year's theme is 'Antimicrobial resistance: No action today, no cure tomorrow'. The theme underlines the need for global action to prevent the misuse of antibiotics and combat the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Speaking with Muscat Daily, Dr Halima al Hinai, director of health education at the Ministry of Health (MoH) said, "Misuse of medicines leads to drug resistance, which renders the medicines ineffective and this year stress is being laid on steps to stop this practice."
Intensive awareness campaigns to promote the rational use of drugs in the country will enhance commitment to safeguard these medicines for future generations. "Antimicrobial resistance and its global spread, threatens the continued effectiveness of many medicines used today to treat infectious diseases," said Dr Halima.
She said that governments must take the lead in developing and implementing comprehensive national policies and interventions to protect medicines and prevent drug resistance.
Dr Batool Jaffer Suleiman, director of the Rational Use of Medicines (RUM) department at MoH, said that the campaign will be organised in phases for healthcare workers, including physicians and pharmacists and its main aim would be creating awareness on antibiotics resistance. "Lectures and presentations would be held in 23 major hospitals of the country, for which the department of health education has worked closely with the RUM department."
Results of a survey conducted by MoH in 2009 to identify the common complications caused by use of medicines in Oman:
Unaware of side-effects 26 per cent
Colour and taste preference 54 per cent
Self medication 43 per cent
Choose medicine based on past experience 36 per cent
Exchange medicine with others 33 per cent
Store medicines in fridge 55 per cent
Not checking expiry date 17 per cent
Kept for future use 41 per cent
Prefer injectable form 14 per cent
© Muscat Daily 2011
