Creating awareness, education and regulations are important-Faisal Mahmood
Video Conference during LNH’s 5th Annual Symposium
KARACHI: The inaugural session of the 5th annual symposium of Liaquat National Hospital started with a Video conference on “Antibiotics & Beyond” on January 9th 2025. The guest speakers included Dr. Syed Faisal Mahmood, Prof. of Infectious Diseases and Associate Chief Medical Officer for IPC at Aga Khan University Hospital, Dr. Rizwan C. Naeem Prof of Pathology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center at New York USA beside Dr. Christine Peters, Consultant Clinical Microbiologist in Glasgow from UK. This session was moderated by Dr.Faisal Siddiqui and Dr. Sana Anwar.
Dr. Syed Faisal Mahmood, Panelist, Dr. Sana Anwar and Dr. Faisal Siddiqui the moderators sitting on the dais during the Video conference on “Antibiotics & Beyond” which was part of the LNH symposium on the inaugural
day January 9th 2025.
Participating in the discussion Dr. Rizwan pointed out that molecular biologists are developing new techniques. New viral treatment is being prepared of virus itself. These viral treatments will not be toxic to the body but it will only kill the bacteria. Hence, it is expected that Anti-viral therapy will help us in managing antibiotic resistance.
Dr. Faisal Mahmood stated that there are multiple reasons for developing antibiotic resistance. There is un-necessary us of antibiotics hence we need to ensure their judicious use in the hospitals as well as in the community. At times water supply and sewerage water mixes up. Inadequate hand hygiene, hospital environment, availability of antibiotics over the counter, self-use of antibiotics, poor understanding of the drug dosage besides low dose use and inadequate course of treatment also leads to resistance.
Dr. Christine Peters stated that a huge amount of antibiotics is being used in agriculture. Responding to a question that can genetics or genomics solve the problem of antibiotic resistance Dr. Rizwan said that it is important that we should use the right dose for right duration. Environment is in favour of developing resistance. The cells adopt to survive. Molecular technology is working on it. Judicious use of antibiotics and creating awareness are important steps.
Dr. Rizwan stated that drastic developments are taking place at the global level. We should be aware of what is happening in other countries. Speaking about the remerging bacteria and the role of vaccines to prevent development of resistance, Dr. Faisal said that role of educaziton and regulations remains important. We should have access to all the diagnostic kits but cost remains the main issue.
Dr. Rizwan opined that humans are diverse though they look alike. They metabolize drugs differently, some have fast while some have slow metabolization. Dose has to be carefully decided. We can have genomes which is resistant to bacteria. It can also be cloned but we wish to have diverse society. Genomes can be changed but it is not a good idea, he remarked.
Dr. Christine Peters laid emphasis on prevention of infection and control. She was of the view that we should have a collaborative platform in Pakistan at the provincial level. Databases of bacteria can be developed. WHO is working on this issue of antibiotic resistance? NIH is also working on this. Infection control remains most important. We need to have diagnostic environment, whom and when to intervene, she added.
Dr Rizwan reiterated the importance of creating awareness about stewardship in use of antibiotics. Human genomes reject bacteria, look at the different methods of resistance. Hospital surveillance is also important. PCR uses the same technology for detection of viruses. Be brave always see the patient and do not treat culture. Commitment of care for everyone should remain the only option, he remarked.
Earlier Prof. Aziz Abdullah Chairman of the organizing committee of the symposium in his welcome address pointed out that the scientific programme of the symposium included one hundred twenty pre conference workshops, seventy scientific sessions. There are over seven hundred oral and poster presentations. Apart from Medicine, the disciplines of speech therapy, occupational therapy, Nursing, Pharmacy, Hospital administration are also covered in allied health sciences.
