Ranchi Veterinary College observed World Antimicrobial Awareness Week by raising awareness about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and emphasising the need to follow appropriate healthcare practices to avoid the spread of drug-resistant diseases.
World Antimicrobial Awareness Week is celebrated across the globe from November 18-24 every year at the initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the World Organisation for Animal Health and the World Health Organisation. This year’s theme was ‘Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance’.
AMR can develop when fungi, parasites, bacteria, evolve and stop responding to medicines meant to kill them. Unless prevent and managed on priority, AMR threatens to wipe out gains made over decades of scientific innovation and medical advances. It can be tackled by the judicious withdrawal of particular antibiotics.
Sushil Prasad, dean, faculty of veterinary sciences and animal husbandry, said antimicrobials, including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitics, are medicines used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals and plants. Bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites are changing around the word and no longer respond to the medicines used to treat the infections they cause. This antimicrobial resistance makes infections harder to treat, which increases the risk of disease spread, severe illness and even death.
Antimicrobial resistance emerges naturally, usually through genetic changes. However, the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in humans, livestock and agriculture has accelerated the process.
M.K. Gupta, chairman, department of Veterinary Pathology, made a detailed presentation on ‘Poultry industry: Major concern for antimicrobial resistance’. Raju Prasad, head, department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, made a presentation on ‘AMR surveillance and role of veterinarians for combating AMR’.
Nandani Kumari, assistant professor of Animal Breeding and Genetics, dwelt on AMR via horizontal gene transfer. Vishakha Singh, assistant professor, department of Veterinary Pharmacology, outlined the small steps to win the big battle against AMR.
Ranchi Veterinary College and Animal Husbandry is a unit of Birsa Agriculture University and offers undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD courses in Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science.