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Medical, nursing and pharmacist professionals in public and private healthcare pledge on responsible use of antibiotics (with photos)
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     The Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, today (November 17) led medical, nursing and pharmacist professionals from the public and private healthcare sectors in signing an "I Pledge" to support the responsible use of antibiotics to combat multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) and tie in with Antibiotic Awareness Day (AAD) tomorrow (November 18).

     "It is indisputable that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global public health threat nowadays. A new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) earlier this year revealed that AMR is happening right now in every region of the world with the potential of affecting anyone of any age in any country. Resistance to antibiotics, especially 'last resort' antibiotics, has been documented in all regions of the world," Dr Ko said at the AAD 2014 ceremony at the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) this afternoon.

     "The consequences of AMR can be devastating. Intensified actions at multiple levels are required to tackle its threat to modern medicine. Experts know that AMR is a serious problem, but not all people are fully aware of this. It is clear that priorities and concerns vary not only within the healthcare sector, but also across different sectors of the community. The fight against AMR requires a co-ordinated approach among sectors and this fight needs to start now," Dr Ko added.

     Dr Ko highlighted that effective infection control and prudent use of antibiotics are the two most important measures, while proper hand hygiene remains one of the most effective yet the simplest means to reduce transmission of infections.

     At the ceremony, the Announcement in the Public Interests (API) on hand hygiene titled "Team Approach to Combat MDROs" (www.isd.gov.hk/eng/tvapi/14_md257.html) was launched and premiered. Starring in the API, the Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan, explains to an old lady that cleaning hands frequently is the best way to deal with MDROs, while the Controller of the CHP, Dr Leung Ting-hung, reminds members of the public to rub their hands for at least 20 seconds whether using soap or alcohol-based handrub. The Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Professor John Leong, the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Leung Pak-yin, and the Chief Infection Control Officer of the HA, Dr Dominic Tsang, also take part in the API. They all appealed to members of the public to clean their hands frequently to keep germs away.

     The six guests above then joined other medical, nursing and pharmacist professionals from the public and private healthcare sectors in signing the locally adapted "I Pledge" (see attachment) to promote the responsible and judicial use of antibiotics and to tie in with a similar campaign initiated by the Regional Office for the Western Pacific of the WHO.

     Those who signed the pledge today include representatives from the Food and Health Bureau, the DH, the HA, the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, the Hong Kong Medical Association, the Hong Kong Doctors Union, the Hong Kong Private Hospitals Association and the School of Pharmacy of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

     Medical experts in clinical microbiology and infection also spoke at the Infection Control Forum after the ceremony on international experience and local priorities in AMR control as well as the challenges of AMR control in public and private hospitals.

     Marked annually on November 18, AAD is a public health initiative to enhance public awareness of the safe use of antibiotics so as to combat AMR.

     A designated webpage for AAD has been established in the CHP's website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/37111.html), providing healthcare workers and the public with more information on the safe use of antibiotics. A series of related promotional and educational materials will be dispatched to healthcare professionals.

     The CHP will maintain vigilance and accord priority to controlling the transmission of MDROs in both hospital and community settings, and will also step up publicity to enlist support from stakeholders in exercising the safe use of antibiotics, attention to hand hygiene and other infection control measures.

Ends/Monday, November 17, 2014
Issued at HKT 17:33

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