HYDERABAD: High prescirbtion of antibiotic medicine has resulted in increased antibiotic resistance among Indians, causing concern among health authorities.
About 35 to 40 percent of Indian have developed antibiotic resistance according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, which is a very unhealthy sign. Due to lack of awareness, antibiotics consumption is rising and its high time we address the problem, said Dr Sandeep Ghanta, consultant physician, Citizens Hospital, Hyderabad.
Antibiotic resistance is the development of resistance power to antibiotic medicines by disease causing bacteria, which will ultimately result in the medicines being taken by patient failing to give the desired result.
For even simple problems like sinusitis, cough, cold people take antibiotics and even medical shops sell many powerful antibiotics over the counter without a valid prescription. The situation is so pathetic that for problems caused by viral infections, antibiotics are used unabashedly, stated Dr Anand Joshi, internal medicine consultant, Global Hospital.
Antibiotics meant for respiratory tract and urinary tract infections are misused in India and besides making an individual susceptible to bacterial infections, antibiotic resistance will lead to diseases related to kidneys and liver.
Already multi drug resistant Tuberculosis and several cancers are posing threat to public health in India and doctors are suggesting for awareness in people and regulating and strictly implementing the sale of and administering of antibiotics to curb the deadly menace.
People should stop self medication and should not get habituated to use of antibiotics without doctors’s prescription. Not just awareness on the part of public is needed but laws should be made and strictly implemented to regulate the sale of antibiotics by medical shops.
Even doctors and hospitals should exercise proper care before prescribing antibiotics for patients, summed up Dr Shivaraju, internal medicine consultant at KIMS Hospital.