‘Overuse of antibiotics posing health risks in Bangladesh’

 The tendency to overuse antibiotics without proper medical supervision was posing a serious danger to public health in the country, doctors and researchers warned yesterday. Bangladeshis were increasingly becoming vulnerable to the exposure of antibiotic resistant super-bug, they said at a programme titled “Antibiotic resistant superbug: Public health in danger”. It was organized by Poribesh Bachao Andolon (POBA) in its Dhaka headquarters.

The ‘superbug’ is the media-savvy name given to any bacteria that is resistant to all (or almost all) types of antibiotics. For instance, a simple case of pneumonia can take a turn for the worse when it cannot be treated with the broad-spectrum of available antibiotics. Dr ABM Faruque, former head of the pharmacy department of Dhaka University, said antibiotics were sold without prescription everywhere, and people were taking them for any common malady, including colds and viral fevers.

This careless use of antibiotics coupled with the common practice of dropping out of the prescribed courses was threatening to give rise to antibiotic-resistant infections, he added.

“Researchers across the world have called on the government to stop the misuse of antibiotics and for a ban on the sale of these drugs at pharmacies without prescription,” Faruque said.

He informed that there were specific guidelines on the use of antibiotics. “If these rules are not followed, the body develops resistance. Using antibiotics at less than the prescribed amount, more than the prescribed amount, not finishing the entire regime, or using fake or low quality drugs are all possible

causes of developing resistance,” he said. According to a research done at his department, antibiotics from the third-generation Cephalosporin group are the ones most prescribed by hospitals. Some of the other common groups are Macrolide, second-generation Cephalosporin and Penicillin, with children between one and four years comprising the most-heavily treated group. The research also showed that the misuse of these drugs led to longer hospital stays, more physical complications and higher death rates. “If we are unable to stop the overuse of antibiotics, then at one point, all the antibiotics in the world will become useless, and bacteria and disease will become rampant. That is why it is very important that we tackle this issue as soon as possible,” Faruque said.

Citing a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, Dr Fariza Fyrose said about 67 per cent of hospitalized patients in Bangladesh received antibiotics, though they were not required in at least 50 per cent cases. All the resistant microbes endanger the prevention and treatment of infectious medical conditions, minor to major surgical procedures such as organ transplantation, caesarean sections, hip replacements, abdominal surgeries, oncological chemotherapy, diabetes management with inclined health care cost, lengthier stays in hospitals and intensive care arrangements.

“The impact of this growing antibiotic resistance is not only affecting medical conditions, but socio-economic and psychological aspects as well,” she added.

 

Overuse of antibiotics posing health risks in Bangladesh

The tendency to overuse antibiotics without proper medical supervision was posing a serious danger to public health in the country, doctors and researchers warned yesterday. Bangladeshis were increasingly becoming vulnerable to the exposure of antibiotic resistant super-bug, they said at a programme titled Antibiotic resistant superbug: Public health in danger. It was organized by Poribesh Bachao Andolon (POBA) in its Dhaka headquarters. The superbug is the media-savvy name given to any bacteria that is resistant to all (or almost all) types of antibiotics. For instance, a simple case of pneumonia can take a turn for the worse when it cannot be treated with the broad-spectrum of available antibiotics. Dr ABM Faruque, former head of the pharmacy department of Dhaka University, said antibiotics were sold without prescription everywhere, and people were taking them for any common malady, including colds and viral fevers. This careless use of antibiotics coupled with the common practice of dropping out of the prescribed courses was threatening to give rise to antibiotic-resistant infections, he added. Researchers across the world have called on the government to stop the misuse of antibiotics and for a ban on the sale of these drugs at pharmacies without prescription, Faruque said. He informed that there were specific guidelines on the use of antibiotics. If these rules are not followed, the body develops resistance. Using antibiotics at less than the prescribed amount, more than the prescribed amount, not finishing the entire regime, or using fake or low quality drugs are all possible causes of developing resistance, he said. According to a research done at his department, antibiotics from the third-generation Cephalosporin group are the ones most prescribed by hospitals. Some of the other common groups are Macrolide, second-generation Cephalosporin and Penicillin, with children between one and four years comprising the most-heavily treated group. The research also showed that the misuse of these drugs led to longer hospital stays, more physical complications and higher death rates. If we are unable to stop the overuse of antibiotics, then at one point, all the antibiotics in the world will become useless, and bacteria and disease will become rampant. That is why it is very important that we tackle this issue as soon as possible, Faruque said. Citing a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, Dr Fariza Fyrose said about 67 per cent of hospitalized patients in Bangladesh received antibiotics, though they were not required in at least 50 per cent cases. All the resistant microbes endanger the prevention and treatment of infectious medical conditions, minor to major surgical procedures such as organ transplantation, caesarean sections, hip replacements, abdominal surgeries, oncological chemotherapy, diabetes management with inclined health care cost, lengthier stays in hospitals and intensive care arrangements. The impact of this growing antibiotic resistance is not only affecting medical conditions, but socio-economic and psychological aspects as well, she added.