A leading European specialist in the global fight against superbugs yesterday called on Hong Kong to use its unique experience in fighting bird flu and Sars to lead Asia's campaign against the misuse of antibiotics.
'Hong Kong has been very successful in the containment of H5N1 and [severe acute respiratory syndrome]. I'm sure you will be equally successful in the containment of antibiotic resistance,' said Herman Goossens, a Belgian professor who is visiting the city to raise awareness about superbugs.
Goossens, founder and vice-chairman of the Belgian Antibiotic Policy Co-ordination Committee, warned that, with the advance of superbugs like NDM-1, most antibiotics could become useless within five years if steps were not taken to curb their over- and misuse.
What Belgium was doing in Europe was an example for the rest of the European countries. Hong Kong hopefully would be an example for the rest of Asia, Goossens said.
His appeal came as Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection released the results of a survey which found dangerous misconceptions about antibiotics were widely held.
About one in three Hong Kong people believe antibiotics can cure flu and two in three think they can treat viral infections - beliefs that could increase the city's vulnerability to the rapid proliferation of incurable superbugs. The dangers of abusing antibiotics are well-publicised yet the survey found that only half of the respondents said they had heard of the concept of antibiotic resistance, which led to evolution of superbugs such as NDM-1.
Since its discovery in India in 2008, NDM-1 has spread to countries including the United States, Australia, Britain and Canada. In October, China confirmed its first three cases of NDM-1. A British study released this week found the deadly superbug in a quarter of water samples taken from the streets of New Delhi,