Antibiotic resistance in Vietnam poses a significant threat, potentially creating a poverty trap and increasing economic burdens and hardships for patients, warned Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Thomas Gass.
Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi on November 22, coinciding with World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, Ambassador Gass emphasized Switzerland’s strong commitment to combating antibiotic resistance as a responsible pharmaceutical producer.
The event launched a community awareness campaign themed “Proper Dosage, Safe Home” as part of Vietnam’s National Strategy on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) for 2023-2030, aligned with the prime minister Decision 1121 and the Ministry of Health’s 2024-2025 action plan.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that between 2020 and 2023, Vietnam recorded 269,681 deaths attributed to antibiotic resistance. Factors such as antibiotic misuse, overuse, and the sale of antibiotics without prescriptions contribute to the country’s high resistance rates. (Suc Khoe Doi Song)