​​​​Humans and animals are taking longer to recover from infections despite antibiotic use. Larger doses of antibiotics are being used and sometimes they still do not function properly. This is because of what is called antibiotic resistance. This antibiotic resistance is increased by bad practices including: ​

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• Use of antibiotics without veterinary prescription.​
  
• Use of antibiotics not as indicated, e.g. not in accordance with the necessary quantities (under or overload), or for a number of days less than it should be.
• Preventive use to compensate for diseases caused by problems that can otherwise be solved, for example lack of cleanliness and ventilation, and inappropriate temperatures.
• Spread of antibiotics in the environment, due to outdated antibiotics and through animal excrement. It may contain antibiotic residues. Typical examples of such spreading are from the dirt of racing pigeons or manure in the fields.
• Contamination by resistant bacteria of food products of animal origin during the production, processing and consumption of food.
• Lack of cleanliness, in environments where it is common to find different types of bacteria. Examples of these are farms, pigeon lofts and hospitals – both for humans or animals.

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Misuse of antibiotics causes them to stop working on the food animal or ‘pets.’ As a result, they no longer kill bacteria that cause infections in animals. Bacteria that are not killed by antibiotics are called resistant bacteria and can spread to humans as well.

Bacteria have no borders. They spread from food, the environment, from man to man and from animal to man. One factor affects another; This is called the ‘One Health’ principle.

The Ministry for Health and the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights are working together to deliver an agreed national plan to jointly combat this serious problem. The European Commission, FAO and WHO are working together to fight this “pandemic.”