Greece
 APUA-Greece
has approximately 50 members and is affiliated with the Hellenic
Society of Infectious Diseases, Hellenic Society of Chemotherapy
and the National Nosocomial Infection Control Committee. The chapter
completed and published a hospital case study on antibiotic policy
which was included in the document Antibiotic
Resistance: Synthesis of Recommendations by Expert Policy Groups.
The chapter, along with the Greek National Food and Drug Administration,
started a big campaign against over-the-counter sales of antibiotics
and encourages more prudent use of antibiotics in the community.
Three public service announcements on the subject were shown on
25 television channels and a survey to determine the efficacy of
the campaign was distributed widely among the public. The goals
of the chapter are to spread the message of proper antibiotic use
through research and education. They are particularly concerned
about the resistance patterns within Greece and are trying to encourage
alternative antibiotic use policies in the community and the hospital
in order to facilitate positive change. In an effort to make gains
in this area, the chapter is working with the Ministry of Health
to encourage prescribers to adopt the "pharmacy antibiotic
order form" for 3rd and 4th generation antibiotics and then
audit the results.
APUA-Greece was officially
established in 1999. Its members are infectious disease experts,
medical personnel and physicians who are primarily hospital-based.
The chapter is collaborating with groups such as the Hellenic
Society for Infectious Diseases, Hellenic Society for Chemotherapy
and Hellenic Drug Organization (the Greek FDA).
Chapter Activities
APUA-Greece is involved
in surveillance programs collecting data on antibiotic use and
resistance patterns in hospitals as well as prevalence of nosocomial
infections. Chapter members participate in the multinational programs
European Study Group on Antibiotic Policies (ESGAP), European
Study Group for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (ESGARS),
European Study Group on Nosocomial Infections (ESGNI), the Alexander
Network, INSPEAK and the European Commission working group on
antibiotic resistance. Surveillance is also carried out at national
and local levels.
The chapter hopes
to curtail antibiotic overuse in hospitals and verify the quality
of antibacterial agents orders in a representative sample of Greek
hospitals, work with the Ministry of Health to encourage prescribers
to adopt the "pharmacy antibiotic order form" for 3rd
and 4th generation antibiotics, and to audit results and organize
several scientific meetings.
Chapter Objectives
- To increase awareness
of the problem of antimicrobial resistance as a public health
issue and its correlation with the overuse and misuse of antibiotics
in both hospitals and the community.
- To monitor resistance
and consumption of antimicrobials in hospitals and the community,
including animal husbandry and agriculture.
- To establish and
implement an antibiotic policy program in hospitals and the
community.
- To implement effective
infection control hygiene measures in hospitals.
Upcoming International Chapter Events |
