Experts warn of threat from ‘superbugs’ (Poll Inside)

PETALING JAYA: Doctors and healthcare workers have turned to social media to warn Malaysians of the emerging antimicrobial resistance (AMR) or “superbugs” threat.

Among them is former deputy health director-general Datuk Dr Christopher Lee, who recently tweeted about the AMR global threat raised by Dr Giri Rajahram from the United States.

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“Unless the world governments and citizens come together to address this holistically and strategically, AMR is another pandemic waiting to explode, and in some regions and countries, it already has,” Dr Lee said.

He agreed with Dr Giri’s observations that AMR is no longer a silent pandemic because doctors in many parts of the world, including Asia, deal with patients with difficult-to-treat multi-resistant organisms.

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Dr Farhana Mohamad from Poliklinik Anna in Melaka, who lost a younger sibling due to AMR related to pneumonia in 2018, said antibiotics could be a cure or poison like all other medications if not taken according to indication.

She also explained that unnecessary reliance on antibiotics could lead to AMR, compromising the body’s immune system.

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“Take this as a lesson: do not simply take antibiotics. If it is abused, it could cause more harm. Don’t end up like my younger sibling,” she added.

According to the World Health Organistation (WHO), AMR threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi.

Micro-organisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are sometimes referred to as “superbugs”.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia public health expert Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said it is common practice among medical practitioners only to provide antibiotics if necessary.

“Most cases of fever and upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) are caused by viruses and viruses do not respond to antibiotics.

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“Hence, we don’t dispense this unnecessarily unless proven to be caused by bacteria. This is to prevent AMR,” she said.

Meanwhile, Sharafuddin Abdullah, 45, an engineer from Kuala Lumpur, said he knows about AMR and did not request for antibiotics when visiting the doctor recently for flu.

Dymphna Lanjuran, 37, an art gallery curator from Petaling Jaya, said nowadays, doctors would ask their patients if they would like to take antibiotics when seeking treatment.

“I will ask for their opinion; if they say it is unnecessary, I won’t ask for antibiotics.”