Recommendations for a Regional Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Americas

摘要

The expert group recommended that both PAHO and its member countries, where applicable, do the following: · Seek ways to reduce availability of over-thecounter antimicrobial agents, including those used in veterinary medicine; this will require efforts beyond the health care community and involve education and dissemination of information to all sectors. · Intensify assistance to the countries in developing rational drug policies. · Monitor sensitivity to antibiotics in each country to allow for optimum antibiotic use for individual cases and to eliminate antibiotics with little therapeutic value. Employ mechanisms such as WHONET and PHLIS to centralize, analyze, and distribute antimicrobial sensitivity data. · Develop and distribute specific recommendations to extend the useful life of antimicrobial drugs. · Frequently revise the list of essential antimicrobials based on sensitivity data. · Initiate educational campaigns on the cost-effectiveness of rational drug use in hospitals. · Initiate collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry on rational drug use, standardized labels and warnings, and ethical marketing strategies.