PETALING JAYA: Transitioning towards renewable energy will help minimise the rise of antibiotic resistance (AMR) linked to air pollution, say health experts.
Public health expert Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said that it is always important to reduce air pollution.
“PM2.5 (particulate matter, 2.5 micrometers in diameter) can act as a carrier for bacteria, and one way to prevent this from happening is to reduce air pollution.
“This can be done in few ways such as transitioning to renewable energy,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Apart from reducing vehicle and building emissions, he said that there should also be stricter industrial pollution controls.
Dr Lee, who previously headed the Health Ministry’s infectious diseases unit, said that transitioning to renewal energy is a good way to minimise the risk of having poor air quality. In comparison, the use of fossil fuel, he said, releases particulates in the air.
Dr Lee also suggests increasing awareness on the responsible use of antibiotics in all sectors, particularly in related sectors such as husbandry.
“While we certainly can’t live without antibiotics, we need to ensure their responsible use.
“Our One Health programme to address AMR has been adopted by both the Health Ministry and the Veterinary Department which is within the Agriculture Ministry.
“It was launched under the National Strategic Plan in 2019,” he added.
The former health deputy director-general said that he had warned of the global rise of AMR over the past few years, including posting about it on his social media account in 2019 and 2023.
Public health expert Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said that it was crucial for the government to take steps to improve the quality of air and create more awareness on proper antibiotics use.
“Reduce the amount of PM2.5 and PM10 in the air and make sure to avoid unnecessary prescriptions of antibiotics in animal husbandry, as well as in the health sector.”
