Without any prescription selling of antibiotics is banned in Bangladesh like in many countries of the world. Yet antibiotics are being sold over the counter without proper prescription.
Doctors warn that misuse of antibiotics can lead to drug resistance in the human body which is now known to be one of the major concerns. A recent study by the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) found that effectiveness of at least 17 of the common antibiotics in the country has significantly declined.
These effective antibiotics are mainly used to treat various types of infections, including urinary tract infections, pneumonia and healing wounds. As a result, other drugs are now losing their effectiveness.
Therefore, researchers saying, children and hospitalized intensive care units (ICU’s) are at high risk.
Head of the Department of Microbiology of IEDCR Dr Zakir Hossain Habib said, “The effectiveness of at least 17 antibiotics in the country has declined over the past few decades.”
He said “They (drugs) show antibiotic-resistant, which means that bacteria become resistant to antibiotics and the drug no longer works to kill the specific bacteria. It is very unfortunate to note that the tendency of using non-conventional antibiotics has tremendously increased.”
According to Dr Habib, the study showed that about 57 percent of the bacterium are resistance to specific drugs, meaning they could not be cured with conventional drugs.
Professor Sania Tahmina, Director of Disease Control under the health directorate said, “This crisis arose as there is no policy in the sale of antibiotic drugs in Bangladesh. In many countries sale of antibiotics is strictly regulated.”
There is widespread abuse of antibiotics in the country. For this, Tahmina blamed rural doctors and drug dealers and requested the concerned administration to punish them under the Act for selling drugs without a certified doctor’s prescription.
Dr Khorshed Alam said no 'antibiotics' are manufactured in Bangladesh. Because making antibiotics is a matter of huge costs. We use scientific methods of antibiotics that we have in our hands”
He urged everyone to refrain from using antibiotics without need.
Besides, he advised to wash hands with soap before eating and getting out of the toilet to get rid of the disease, vaccinate various diseases and take safe food and water.
Antibiotics have entered our bodies through various foods. Excessive antibiotic consuming causes the germs in the body to slowly become resistant to antibiotics.
Nutrition specialist and professor Nazma Akter said, when people eat the meat, fish, etc. of animals, these antibiotic-resistant germs enter the human body through food. Then when people take antibiotics during their illness, it no longer works.
Professor Nazma Akter further said, since the application of antibiotics is increasing in the production of human food, they must be supplied after scientifically processed food. Appropriate steps should be taken to ensure the safe use of all drugs, including antibiotics.
Earlier, in April this year the High Court directed the government to take necessary steps to stop the sale of antibiotics without a prescription from registered doctors.
The court ordered the director general (DG) of the Directorate of Drug Administration to issue a circular to this effect in two days after receiving the order.