Antibiotic regulation fails, drug companies minting money

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In Kerala, which was the first in the country to formulate an action plan to prevent the misuse of antibiotics, there is no action to implement it.

Although the Department of Health has mandated that antibiotics should not be given without a doctor's prescription, there is no testing to ensure this. It is alleged that the government is conniving with drug lobbies. Most people are relying on antibiotics even for a mild fever. Old prescriptions are being used for this. In addition, antibiotics injected into animals also affect human health. Pigs, chickens, and ducks are over-injected with antibiotics to prevent disease, which affects the humans who consume them.

The presence of excessive antibiotics can create resistance to antibiotics in the human body. This will reduce the ability to survive the disease. ICMR has warned many times that antibiotics should be used only in emergencies but to no avail. With the advent of GST, all medical shops are computerized and the state government can easily register the sale of medicines. The government had started trying for this but gave up halfway.

Two prescriptions should be implemented

Doctors write two prescriptions for psychiatric drugs. One is to be kept by the patient and the other is to be taken and kept by the medical stores that distribute the medicine. The first prescription should be stamped as delivered.

Similarly, for antibiotics, there is a requirement that doctors write two prescriptions, but this is not followed.

Increased after covid

Different types of antibiotics have become well known to the people with the treatment during the COVID era. Most people have become accustomed to going to the medical store and buying strong antibiotics when they have a fever.

Bacterial infections do not require antibiotics. If the body does not need antibiotics, no matter how much you eat, it will not work and the patient will have side effects.

Side effects

• Itchy rash
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Yeast infection
• Allergy
• Increase in the number of antibiotic-resistant infections

"Antibiotics should be taken only in the right amount and on the right days as prescribed by the doctor. Do not allow even a pinch of amoxicillin to be available or consumed without a doctor's prescription.'

- Dr. Zulfi Nuhu

Former state president IMA