Cyprus grapples with high antibiotic use in livestock farming, leading to a significant challenge with antibiotic resistance especially in pigs and poultry. Efforts to combat this include EUfunded seminars, CAP plans, and a 23.4% reduction in antimicrobial substance sales, aiming to halve antimicrobial use by 2023 for a sustainable future.
Cyprus has earned the dubious distinction of being the highest consumer of antibiotics in the EU, with 50% of its residents taking antibiotics yearly. This overuse, often due to selfmedication and the misconception that antibiotics can treat viruses, has led to a surge in antibioticresistant infections, posing significant health risks and increasing treatment costs.
The European Union has set specific targets to combat antibiotic resistance by 2030, including reducing antibiotic use, enhancing infection prevention, fostering research, and improving surveillance. Achieving these goals requires collective effort from health officials, providers, and the public to ensure sustainable antibiotic use and effective infection control.
