Türkiye has expanded its efforts to curb antibiotic resistance by introducing an antibiotic use surveillance system across all adult hospital wards, allowing health authorities to closely monitor the types and dosages of antibiotics prescribed nationwide.
The move comes as Türkiye remains among the highest consumers of antibiotics in Europe and seeks to strengthen measures against the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Under the new system, antibiotic prescriptions in adult inpatient services will be systematically tracked, while practices considered high-risk for promoting resistance will be identified and recorded.
The surveillance program was first launched in adult intensive care units last year. Health officials expect its nationwide expansion to provide valuable data for shaping antibiotic management policies and improving oversight of prescribing practices across the healthcare system. More importantly, the practice is expected to limit the spread of drug-resistant bacteria.
In recent months, authorities have adopted additional measures in support of these goals, including plans to increase the number of specialist physicians serving on hospital infection control committees, expand the infection control nursing workforce and update training curricula.
Antimicrobial resistance has become a growing global health challenge. According to international data, drug-resistant infections driven by inappropriate antibiotic use contribute to roughly 80,000 deaths annually, while the development of new antibiotics has failed to keep pace with the rapid emergence of resistance.
As a result, countries worldwide are increasingly focusing on antibiotic stewardship programs aimed at ensuring medicines are used only when necessary and in the most effective manner.
