The rational use of antibiotics is essential to combat the growing threat of anti-microbial resistance, improve patient outcomes, and optimize healthcare resources. Effective antibiotic stewardship programs play a crucial role in guiding healthcare professionals and patients towards appropriate antibiotic use. These programs encompass a range of interventions, including education and training, clinical guidelines, antimicrobial stewardship teams, and surveillance systems. By implementing these strategies, healthcare facilities can enhance antibiotic prescribing practices, reduce unnecessary antibiotic use, and prevent the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Additionally, public awareness campaigns are vital in empowering individuals to understand the appropriate use of antibiotics, emphasizing the importance of completing prescribed courses, and discouraging self-medication. Promoting awareness among the general population helps mitigate misconceptions and misuse, ensuring antibiotics are used judiciously and only when necessary.
Keywords: AMR (Anti-microbial resistance), Anti-microbial Stewardship, rational use, health care professionals.
COVID-19 booster dose vaccination in India was started from 10-April-2022 but its acceptance is low. The present study was a prospective observational study aimed to determine the acceptance and challenges of the COVID-19 vaccine conducted among health care professionals (HCP) as HCP are front-line health workers are the backbone of effective healthcare systems and they played a critical role in providing health solutions during covid-19 pandemic, using a self-administered questionnaire from 30th Jan-11th Sep 2022 in Mangalore, a total of 1000 healthcare professionals participated viz., academicians, interns, Asha workers, Lab Technicians Nurses, pharmacists, and doctors.
Reasons behind skipping booster vaccination in community were adverse experience with prior doses of vaccine 25%, Two doses were enough 24%, Infection was commonly reported among people who had taken the precautionary dose 11%, Concern that mutations have altered the virus since the vaccine was originally made 4.5%, Unknown 4.0%, doubts regarding boosters’ effectiveness 3.7%, Lack of enough evidence 3.5%, Waiting for mix-and-match booster vaccines 2.1%, The belief that prior infection would be protective 1.2%
Analyzing about supply chain of vaccine as it is a critical process in management of vaccination drives, even though GOI had successfully managed the vaccination program (78%), it had failed to reach cent percent in booster dose due to predisposing idea of the public assuming confidence in the previous 2 doses (28%) and being noncompulsion (20%) led to non-acceptance.
This study concludes a high level of COVID-19 booster dose vaccine hesitancy, efforts to provide accurate information on vaccine safety and effectiveness are highly recommended.
Keywords: Covid Vaccine, Booster dose, Acceptance, Challenges
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