"In 10 years, we may not be able to treat pneumonia": Lyashko warns Ukrainians against the misuse of antibiotics.

Antibiotics in Ukraine became available by prescription starting August 1, 2022, yet the issue of uncontrolled use without a doctor's prescription remains a significant threat. Disregarding proper antibiotic usage could result in some infectious diseases becoming untreatable in just 10 years. Health Minister Viktor Lyashko stated this during a national telethon.

"The formation of resistance to antimicrobial drugs is a global issue, but in Ukraine, it is also a top topic within the healthcare system and public health sector," the minister noted.

Viktor Lyashko explained that electronic prescriptions for antibiotics were introduced to curb the development of bacterial resistance to existing medications in Ukraine; otherwise, doctors may find themselves unable to treat certain diseases.

"If we continue to treat antibiotics and doctors' recommendations with disdain, in just 10 years, transplantation could come to a halt because there would be no means to treat complications. Pneumonias could become untreatable. Infections we have already forgotten about may re-emerge," warned the Minister of Health.

"When we talk about what depends on me as an individual, there must be a clear understanding: antibiotics are not candies, nor are they pills to take preventively just because something feels off or itches," said the health minister.

Antibiotic Misuse is Especially Dangerous During Wartime

The official emphasized that the problem intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. It became even more acute following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 due to the high number of traumatic injuries and open wounds, with patients often passing through 5-6 hospitals and encountering numerous dangerous microorganisms.

"Infection control in hospitals is not always a priority, especially during mass rocket attacks or when injured individuals arrive from the battlefield, as there is a large group of people whose lives need urgent saving. This leads to an increasing number of infections resistant to existing antibiotics," Lyashko explained.

Antibiotic Resistance Develops in Bacteria, Not in the Host

The minister noted that antibiotic resistance develops not in humans, but specifically in the microorganisms residing within them. When immunity decreases, a bacterium can transition from being conditionally pathogenic to pathogenic. If the individual had previously taken antibiotics without a doctor's prescription, that bacterium may already have developed resistance, making it more difficult to establish an effective treatment plan.

To address this issue, the Ministry of Health is collaborating with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy because the widespread use of antibiotics in livestock also contributes to the development of resistance, said Lyashko.

"Let me reiterate: resistance develops not in humans, but in microorganisms. There is a potential dependency. If a large number of antibiotics are used in livestock, for instance, a specific strain of salmonella found in poultry farms can develop resistance. Then, when it infects a person and causes illness, antibiotics may no longer be effective," the doctor explained.

Recall that on November 17, ScienceDaily reported that scientists found a new alternative to antibiotics. Researchers proposed utilizing bacteria's need for magnesium ions to suppress microorganism growth by binding the ions.

Additionally, on November 5, Technology Networks discussed a study that identified a possible culprit of resistance to antibiotics. They suggested that the effectiveness of medications could be influenced by nanoplastic particles.