Bulgaria Faces Grim Reality: Highest Antimicrobial Resistance Death Rate

Bulgaria is facing a critical health concern, leading the grim statistics globally with the highest mortality rate stemming from bacterial infections that no longer respond to antibiotic treatments. The country's prevalent misuse and incorrect application of antibiotics have propelled it to the forefront of what's known as antimicrobial resistance, a grave threat to global health identified by the World Health Organization.

This phenomenon is resulting in an escalating number of individuals for whom antibiotics are increasingly ineffective, leading to nearly 5 million deaths worldwide. The implications are dire, with projections suggesting that by 2050, the toll of antibiotic resistance could reach a staggering 10 million deaths annually if stringent measures are not undertaken.

Dr. Denitsa Daskalova, a pediatrician, has observed a concerning uptick in children who are unresponsive to many available antibiotics in recent years. She highlights the overuse and self-prescription of antibiotics by patients, stressing that antibiotics should not be treated casually, emphasizing their necessity only under a doctor's prescription.

The prevalent practice of self-prescribing antibiotics for conditions like sore throats, colds, or fevers, often inappropriately targeting viral infections, significantly contributes to antimicrobial resistance.

Dr. Alexander Kolevski, the head of the microbiology laboratory at Alexandrovska Hospital, sheds light on the urgency of this issue. He conducts specific research aimed at amalgamating antibiotics from various groups to address resistance in patients. While their success rates are notable, they fall short of expectations considering the potency antibiotics once held against bacteria.

Associate Professor Mihail Okoliyski, Deputy Minister of Health, acknowledges Bulgaria's elevated mortality due to antibiotic insensitivity, attributing it to rampant antibiotic overuse. To counter this, health authorities plan to launch a long-pending national program next year, dormant since 2019. The program proposes strict regulations, mandating prescriptions and antibiograms for antibiotic purchases, aiming to curb misuse. Additionally, it targets antibiotic usage among animals and environmental sources to counter the lack of novel antibiotic development.

The pressing concern resonates in the absence of new antibiotic discoveries, underscoring the urgency of the proposed program's implementation to mitigate the emergence of untreatable infections resulting from antimicrobial resistance.

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