TODAY, June 16th, as we observe Commonwealth Pharmacy Day, the Guyana Pharmacists’ Association wishes to extend warm greetings to all pharmacists, pharmacy assistants and students throughout our beautiful land, Guyana.The pharmacist is the most accessible member of the health team. It has been recognised that access to medicines itself does not automatically result in the best state of health. For optimal health outcomes to be achieved, access to medicines must be accompanied with pharmaceutical expertise and this is where the pharmacist is invaluable. As pharmacists, let us not see our roles as mere dispensers of medication, but as front line providers of information. In essence, we are all counsellors on pharmaceuticals, over the counter medications and general health matters.

Since we, as pharmacists, are key information providers in the health care team, our mandate should be to educate all Guyanese through public awareness on issues relating to pharmacy practice.

In observance of this day, the Guyana Pharmacists’ Association wishes to share some important information with the Guyanese public.
Antibiotic resistance can be explained as an antibiotic having lost the ability to effectively kill or control the growth of bacteria. This means that the bacteria continue to multiply even in the presence of therapeutic levels of antibiotics. These medicines become ineffective because the microbes mutate or acquire genetic information from other microbes. Antimicrobial resistance includes antibacterial resistance, antiviral resistance, antiparasitic resistance and antifungal resistance. The last class of antibiotics, the Fluoroquinolones, was produced in the 1980’s after which there was a void in the discovery of antibiotics.
Antibiotic resistance is a growing public health concern to countries and Governments. As such, they have begun to pay keen attention to this problem that threatens conventional antibiotic therapy. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that without urgent action, we are heading to ‘A post-antibiotic era—in which common infections and minor injuries can kill—far from being an apocalyptic fantasy, this is, instead, a very real possibility for the 21st century.”

WHO’s first global report on antimicrobial resistance released in April 2014 states that resistance to common bacteria has reached alarming levels in many parts of the world, indicating that many of the available treatment options for common infections in some settings are becoming ineffective. There were high proportions of resistance reported in all Regions, to common treatments, both in the hospital and community settings. As a result, treatment options for common infections are dwindling. National data from WHO Regions on E. coli, K. pneumonia and S. aureus showed that the proportion resistant to commonly used specified antibacterial drugs exceeded 50% in many settings. There is a scarcity of new classes of antibacterial drugs to treat Gram-negative bacteria and this poses an additional problem. This has a negative effect on patient outcomes and health-care expenditure.

Preliminary studies indicate that there is a multi-drug resistance problem in Guyana.

One of the resolutions adopted at the World Health Assembly on 24th May, 2014, in Geneva, was that of antimicrobial drug resistance. The assembly urged Governments to strengthen national action and international collaboration which requires sharing the extent of resistance and the use of antibiotics in humans and animals; and also involves improving awareness among health providers and the public of the threat posed by resistance. The assembly also emphasised the need for responsible use of antibiotics, and the importance of good hand hygiene, vaccinations, proper sanitation and clean water, and infection control in health facilities.

Pharmacists are reminded to counsel their patients with regard to antibiotic use and physicians are also reminded not to prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily. Consumers are asked not to purchase antibiotics over-the-counter and self-treat with antibiotics; this can lead to serious consequences where life-threatening illnesses may not be cured. Antibiotics are only to be used when prescribed by a physician and the entire course should be taken, even if the patient feels better. Never share antibiotics with others or use left-over antibiotics.
It is essential to take appropriate measures to preserve the efficacy of the existing antimicrobial drugs so that common and life-threatening infections can be cured.

Let us all work together for the betterment of the health of our nation.

The Guyana Pharmacists’ Association is therefore calling on all pharmacists to celebrate our profession and to use Commonwealth Pharmacy Day to reach out to our patients/clients, utilising every opportunity to disseminate some form of information that will truly help to improve the quality of life for all in 2015 and beyond.

Happy Pharmacy Day to all!
The Guyana Pharmacists’ Association