DE health officials discuss antibiotic resistance awareness
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 23,000 people die each year as a direct result of antibiotic-resistant infections.
This is just one of the reasons why the Delaware Division of Public Health is recognizing “Get Smart About Antibiotics Week.”
Dr. Awele Maduka- Ezeh says, “It’s a really big issue with many pieces to the problem.”
Dr. Maduka- Ezeh is the state medical director at the Delaware Division of Public Health is talking about antibiotic resistance.
It’s been cited as one of the world’s most pressing public health issues; mainly because people misuse them for colds and flu’s.
In fact, the CDC claims up to fifty percent of all antibiotics prescribed for people worldwide are unnecessary.
Dr. Maduka- Ezha says, “When you have a cold or a flu those are caused by viruses. Of course, when you’re taking an antibiotic for that, you’re not making any difference.”
Antibiotics cure bacterial infections, not viruses. Every time a person takes them, good bacteria are killed along with the bad. Dr. Maduka- Ezeh says if people are truly sick with bacterial infections, it’s worth the risk. When folks overuse them they also develop drug resistant germs.
Dr. Maduka- Ezeh continues,”If I have an antibiotic resistant bacteria in me, yes I will very likely get sick from that. It will be a nightmare for me to treat when I do get sick.”
Resistant germs can be passed to others. However, Dr. Maduka- Ezeh says some folks will still demand antibiotics, so she has two main rules she wants them to follow.
The first is to never use old antibiotics. Different sicknesses may have similar symptoms, but oftentimes they need to be treated very differently. The second rule is for patients, especially parents, to not try and intimidate your doctor into giving antibiotics. She says if you don’t need it, listen to the physician.
She continues, “Trust that person’s judgment. Do not demand an antibiotic. I would say to my colleagues, to the providers, do not let patients and their families talk you into giving them antibiotics unnecessarily.”
Dr. Maduka- Ezeh says if you want to really protect yourself from a cold or virus this season get a flu shot.
