Panama to clamp down on indiscrimate antibiotic use

Panama’s Ministry of Health (MOH) plans to clamp down on the indiscrimate  use of antibiotics, long believed to be a primary cause of KPC.

Within two weeks, the MoH will present to Cabinet a draft law to control the use of veterinary antibiotics, in agriculture, in health facilities and in private companies, says Minister of Health, Franklin Vergara.

According to Vergara, abuse and uncontrolled use of some antibiotics, especially in veterinary and in all types of agricultural production, is what causes the resistance of some bacteria, which in many cases are affecting people, and that is what has led to situations such as occurred with the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) resistant which has killed nearly 60 people in Panama this year.

The minister said he is currently polishing the law and comparing it with the one with the Pan American Health Organization, because there are already 130 countries that have similar  control laws.

Vergara also referred to the study by the University of Panama on the mosquito Aedes albopictus . He said that the MoH was unaware of the report and he  has already told the university authorities that  future research should go first to the Directorate General of Health, which is where all research results should go  and  they must get permission to make announcements that affect the community.

Earlier the Minister had denied the results of the research which showed that Aedes albopictus is in Panama city and is also a carrier of dengue.