Dangers of indiscriminate use of antibiotics

A medical expert warned this week that the widespread and indiscriminate use of antibiotics in the country is accelerating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and could render treatment of disease using antibiotics 

ineffective.

Dr. Priyantha Atapattu of the National Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance said an immediate program must be put in place to ensure responsible antibiotic use. His warning comes after medical experts in the country observed years of misuse and overuse of these medicines.

“Antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites in humans, animals and plants. These medications may be antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal or antiparasitic,” he said, adding that people should take antibiotics only under proper medical supervision.

This is a worrying trend that has been going on for many years now. This seems to be a problem worldwide. The problem seems to have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), extensive overuse of antibiotics during COVID-19 pandemic worldwide may have exacerbated the “silent” spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

“When a patient requires antibiotics, the benefits often outweigh the risks associated with side effects or antibiotic resistance. However, when they are unnecessary, they offer no benefit while posing risks, and their use contributes to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance,” according to Dr Silvia Bertagnolio, WHO Unit Head for Surveillance, Evidence and Laboratory Strengthening, Division for AMR.

The global body said that the available data call for improvements in the rational use of antibiotics to minimise unnecessary negative consequences for patients and populations.

In 2024, the UN General Assembly held a High-Level Meeting on AMR to confront the global threat of drug-resistant infections.

At the meeting, world leaders committed to a number of measures to stop the overuse and misuse of antibiotics.

This included urgent global action to address AMR, including a target to reduce the global deaths associated with AMR by 10% by 2030 and a target of $ 100 million to ensure at least 60 percent of countries have funded AMR plans by 2030 as well as integrating AMR research into national action plans.

Sri Lanka too is among the countries that have pledged to do more to stop the easy access to antibiotics which had led to the use of the medicines without medical supervision.

Despite several efforts by successive Governments to stop the sale of antibiotics and other medicines without doctors’ prescription, almost any medicine can be bought over the shelf in Sri Lanka.  People also tend to self-medicate rather than consult a doctor, some due to the tedious process facing patients at Government hospitals and the exorbitant prices for channelling doctors at a private hospital.

Hence, they tend to use an old prescription when they have symptoms of influenza or other conditions which they feel could be cured with antibiotics. This self-medication has led to the overuse of the medicines and thus making them resistant to these drugs. This is a dangerous trend as when patients are treated with the drugs for a condition which responds to these antibiotics, if the patient has developed resistance to these drugs, it could put their lives in jeopardy.

Hence the call by medical experts for the responsible use of antibiotics is an important and timely warning. It must go hand in hand with more awareness programs directed at the public thus alerting them to the dangers of abuse of antibiotics. 

Along with this, there must be stricter enforcement of regulations on the sale of antibiotics.