Formulate policy on use of antibiotics
Urge experts
Formulation of a national antimicrobial (antibiotic drugs) policy is essential to combat irrational use of antibiotics as such usage causes bacteria to develop resistance in the patients' body leaving the drugs inactive against certain diseases.
Experts made this call yesterday at a training workshop for journalists titled “Antimicrobial resistance” held at Milton Hall of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). It was jointly organised by BSMMU Department of Pharmacology and World Health Organisation (WHO).
Experts said doctors often prescribe antibiotics to patients without considering its actual need and similarly antibiotics are sold in pharmacies without prescriptions for slack monitoring system.
Patients use antibiotics whimsically due to lack of awareness and develop antibiotic resistance.
Speaking at the workshop, Dr Erwin Cooreman, medical officer of WHO, said this resistance is termed as unresponsiveness to antimicrobial agents in standard doses and is accelerated through inappropriate use of antibiotics.
He said 50 percent antibiotics are prescribed irrationally across the globe and of them, 50 percent is wrongly used.
The experts said antimicrobial resistance has a huge negative impact on health including longer duration of illness, longer treatment, higher mortality, need of expensive drugs for treatment and increased burden on health system.
Patients act as a reservoir of resistant organisms, passing them on to community and healthcare workers, they said, adding that this is threatening for the present and next generation and becoming a global health problem.
“Awareness regarding irrational use of antibiotic is very low in the country,” said Dr Sayedur Rahman, associate professor of BSMMU Department of Pharmacology and project coordinator of Awareness Building Campaign on Antimicrobial Resistance.
Media should highlight the negative sides of antibiotic resistance for greater awareness in society and there is no alternative to formulating a national antimicrobial guideline to regulate use of antibiotics, he said.
Speakers also criticised rigorous promotion strategy of pharmaceutical companies and urged to bring quacks under strict regulations.
BSMMU Vice Chancellor Prof Pran Gopal Datta was present as the chief guest. Pro-VC Prof Dr Mohammad Shahidullah, the department Chairman Prof Mir Misbahuddin, Dr Sharmila Huda of BSMMU and Public Information Consultant of WHO SM Mahfuzur Rahmna also spoke.
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