The COVID-19 virus is a realisation and wake-up call that the microscopic world is still a mystery to the people and we are ill-prepared to face the consequences should we abuse its boundaries.
This was highlighted by Minister for Health Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete while launching the Antimicrobial Awareness Week at FNU Pasifika Campus Auditorium.
He says the COVID-19 virus is behaving very much like how a highly drug-resistant microorganism would behave should we fail to heed the warnings issued by the health professionals.
Dr Waqainabete says the World Health Organisation had declared in 2019 that antimicrobial resistance is among the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity today.
He says we join the global community to increase awareness and encourage the best practices among the general public, health workers, farmers, animal health professionals and policymakers to avoid the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections.
He adds as humanity continue to push the boundaries and infringe onto the spaces occupied by other living organisms, pathogens jump species and develop the potential to spread like wildfire, because we will lack any natural resistance or immunity to them.
The Minister says this is to be expected as organisms have the ability to adapt to extreme conditions to survive.
He further says without an effective mitigation practice, there will come a time when 100% of the microorganisms become resistant to the current selection of antimicrobials.
Dr Waqainabete says since we are coming out of a golden era of antimicrobial medications, we have to look at new and innovative ways of treating and preventing infections.
