Using Social Media to tackle the threats to Global Health: Antimicrobial Resistance

The World Health Organization (n.d) published an article on the threats to Global Health in 2019 which included air pollution and climate change, noncommunicable diseases, global influenza pandemic, fragile and vulnerable settings, antimicrobial resistance, ebola and other high-threat pathogens, weak primary health care, vaccine hesitancy, dengue, and HIV. Since then many other threats have emerged such as climate change-related disasters, the Ukraine conflict and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article will address how social media can be a tool in tackling Antimicrobial Resistance.

The Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Antimicrobial resistance (also known as drug resistance) is the ability of microorganisms to survive in the presence of a drug that was previously effective in killing it or inhibiting its growth. The World Health Organization (2020) reported that 4.95 million deaths per year are associated with antimicrobial resistance globally. AMR reduces the effectiveness of antibiotics, making it more challenging to treat bacterial infections. Common infections such as urinary tract infections and pneumonia, become harder to manage. AMR can prolong hospitalization and can lead to higher mortality rates, as previously treatable infections become life-threatening.?

Antibiotics can be purchased without a prescription in many countries and as a result, people have unlimited access to them. People tend to self-diagnose and self-medicate. World Health Organization (2020) also noted that in countries without standard treatment guidelines, antibiotics are often over-prescribed by health workers and veterinarians and over-used by the public. Microorganisms are becoming resistant faster than new antibiotics are being produced and there is the risk of having limited medications to fight infections.

Antimicrobial resistance has complicated patient care. For example in the case of Tuberculosis, there is already a limited amount of treatment options for multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant cases. The world is running out of antibiotics as the World Health Organization (2017) confirmed that only two new antibiotics for the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis have reached the market in over 70 years. Also, while there are some new antibiotics in development, none of them are expected to be effective against the most dangerous forms of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (World Health Organization, 2020).

Many people are unaware of the implications of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), and healthcare providers may not always follow best practices for antibiotic prescribing. One of the “Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance” objectives is to improve awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance. Social media is the ideal channel to create this awareness.

Debunking the Myths: Antibiotics for Flu??

One common misconception is that antibiotics are effective treatments for the flu, which is not the case. The flu which is known as influenza is a respiratory illness of viral origin that will not necessitate the administration of antibiotics. Even though it may be complicated with a secondary bacterial infection, the proper practice is not to use antibiotics. This unnecessary use of antibiotics is a factor that intensifies antimicrobial resistance. Social media initiatives can be aimed at influencing policy reforms that will create or revamp standard protocols on patient management and prescription of antibiotics.

Debunking the Myths: Typhoid Myth in Nigeria

Typhoid is one of the most misdiagnosed diseases in Nigeria. Many Nigerians tend to attribute almost every bout of fever and headache to Typhoid. This leads to unnecessary use of antibiotics. Many members of the population would rather self-diagnose and self-medicate to avoid paying for medical visits. As a majority of the population lacks health insurance, health financing is usually out of pocket. This gap in access to quality healthcare leads to the abuse of antibiotics and can further worsen the burden of AMR.

Also, the use of the Widal test to diagnose typhoid is still a common practice in Nigeria. The Widal test was the mainstay of typhoid fever diagnosis for decades and has since been discontinued in standard practice due to its flaws. It is neither sensitive nor specific, the Widal test is no longer an acceptable clinical method for diagnosis of typhoid. Diagnosis based on the archaic widal test leads to an unnecessary administration of antibiotics.

Social media initiatives are needed to educate the population on typhoid and to debunk the myths. These initiatives should also advocate for standard treatment guidelines from policymakers. Also, social media can be used to educate the population on the availability of typhoid vaccines and how they are a better and more effective option as opposed to abusing antibiotics.

Advocacy for Vaccination

As antimicrobial resistance threatens to compromise the use of anti-microbial medications to fight infections, vaccination remains the most effective way to defend against infectious diseases. A new study published in the BMJ Global Health Journal by Kim et al.(2023) reported that over half a million lives could be saved each year with the effective use of existing vaccines and the continued development of new vaccines to tackle priority pathogens.

Social media initiatives should be directed towards advocacy for vaccinations and to influence policies to prioritize R&D for vaccines. Also, content should be created to educate on vaccines and their importance.

Conclusion

Addressing the burden of AMR requires a multi-faceted approach involving healthcare providers, policymakers, researchers, and the public. Social media can be used to advocate for responsible antibiotic use, the development of new antibiotics, and educating the population on the dangers of self-medication and the burden of AMR.

References

Kim, C. et al. (2023) ‘Global and regional burden of attributable and associated bacterial antimicrobial resistance avertable by vaccination: Modelling study’, BMJ Global Health, 8(7). doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2022-011341.

Prestinaci, F., Pezzotti, P., & Pantosti, A. (2015) ‘Antimicrobial resistance: a global multifaceted phenomenon”, Pathogens and global health, 109(7), pp. 309–318. https://doi.org/10.1179/2047773215Y.0000000030

World Health Organization (2020) Antibiotic Resistance, Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antibiotic-resistance

World Health Organization (2017) The world is running out of antibiotics, WHO report confirms. Available at: https://www.who.int/news/item/20-09-2017-the-world-is-running-out-of-antibiotics-who-report-confirms

World Health Organisation (n.d) Ten threats to global health in 2019, Available at:

https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/ten-threats-to-global-health-in-2019