By Fatima Khan
Islamabad: Pakistan is one of the highest antibiotic consumers among low- and middle-income countries. Antibiotics abuse is not only creating resistance but also causing major health issues.
Pakistan is part of the Global Action Plan to tackle AMR, endorsed in the 68th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2015. Pakistan has a ‘National Strategic Framework for Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance’ but its implementation is still a challenge.
The major reason for the abuse of antibiotics is self-medication. Most people cannot afford to go to a doctor, so they buy cheap over-the-counter drugs to treat common ailments. Most of the time, they don't complete the course and after two days stop taking the medicine when they feel improvement in health. This contributes to antimicrobial resistance.
There are many factors behind unnecessary antibiotic consumption. The major reasons are lack of education and extreme poverty. People can't afford to go to a doctor. They themselves buy over-the-counter medicines and often don't complete the course. They stop antibiotics after two or three days when they start feeling better. Due to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, the bacteria are developing resistance to medicines.
When bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, they are harder to treat and increase the risk of disease spread.
According to Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Abdul Qadir Patel, around 50% of the population take antibiotics without consulting doctors. High number of quakes are another reason, who in order to provide instant relief to their patients from ailment prescribe unnecessary antibiotics. They also prescribe the highest numbers of drugs, with more than 3 drugs per patient, and 70% of patients are prescribed antibiotics.
The increasing local demand is met by the local pharmaceutical companies, who import raw materials to export finished antibiotics but end up selling them in the local market to make easy money.
Due to the misuse of antibiotics, health problems are becoming complicated. According to a 2019 WHO report, Pakistan was among the top five countries where the highest number of neonatal deaths occurred due to resistant bacteria.
The misuse is not causing antimicrobial resistance, but the overuse of antibiotics is also creating other serious health issues. Thousands of tiny bacteria, viruses and fungi live in the human gut. They help digest food and play an important role in your well-being. Research shows an imbalance of gut bacteria may produce diabetes, obesity, depression, colon cancer, even anxiety and depression.
Recently, scientists have identified around 2000 bacterial species living in the human gut. Antibiotics kill these friendly and helpful bacteria and may reduce the diversity of species, which may result in digestion issues, diabetes, obesity, depression, colon cancer, anxiety and depression.
"Avoid antibiotics, never take medicine yourself", says Dr. Rashid. of Polyclinic Hospital. He advised people to take probiotics and eat vegetables and fruits, if antibiotics are unavoidable. He said gut bacteria take around six months to fully recover.
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