Warning over antibiotic resistance

Medical experts from around the globe need to work together to try to tackle the “catastrophic threat” of antibiotic resistance, the British Health Secretary said.

Jeremy Hunt warned that there are “few” public health issues of greater importance than antimicrobial resistance.

Recently, the Government’s chief medical officer warned that resistance to antibiotics is one of the greatest threats to modern health.

Many of the drugs are being used unnecessarily for mild infections or illnesses which should not be treated with antibiotics – which is helping to create resistance, said Dame Sally Davies.

She warned that routine operations such as hip replacements could become deadly in just 20 years if we lose the ability to fight infection

Addressing the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, Hunt said: “Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global problem.

“There are few public health issues of greater importance.

“We need stronger international partnerships and coalitions so that the threat of AMR is fully recognised and the responsibility for reducing it is shared.”

Dame Sally, who will host a seminar at the Assembly tomorrow, added: “We in the UK are taking this issue extremely seriously and will be publishing a five-year, cross-government strategy in the summer.

“But we can’t really tackle it unless we get coordinated, international action, which is why we’re working in partnership to push it up the global political agenda.

“As I keep saying, if we don’t take action, in 20 years' time we could be back in the 19th century where infections kill us as a result of routine operations.”