Nitesh Sangral
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Apr 1: Blame it on the greed and gluttony of the medical practitioners across the state, antibiotics are been prescribed to the patients recklessly, which is leading to dangerous antibiotic resistance.
The World Health Organization (WHO), various Indian medical associations as well as Union Health Ministry are taking measure to control overuse of antibiotic medicines but the Jammu and Kashmir Health Ministry doesn't have any mechanism to check the misuse of antibiotics cross the State.
According to various researchers which are published in various dailies, the global consumption of antibiotics has soared since the year 2000. This could mean drug-resistant superbugs spiraling out of control and calls for new policies to control usage of these drugs. With the rate of consumption going up by 65% between 2000 and 2015, the need of the hour is to invest in alternative treatments, sanitation, and vaccination.
"Indian Medical Association (IMA) has proposed several initiatives to tackle this public health threat - "Jaroorat Bhi Hai Kya", "Avoid Antibiotic Abuse campaign", "Use Wisely not Widely", "Think Before You Ink," doctors told Early Times. They added that in the State, the overuse of these drugs is going on rampantly and nearly 60 to 70 percent of the population is consuming antibiotic unnecessarily.
They claimed that antibiotics are given for viral infections including diarrhea, sore throat, ear and sinus discharge against which they have no effect. Doctors of Jammu, as well as Srinagar, are allegedly prescribing these drugs without worrying about the sides effects on patients' lives. Doctors, as well as chemists across the State, have been getting a huge commission, tours, and goodies for last many years by prescribing and selling antibiotics.
They alleged that they continued with their malpractices in the absence of regulation. Numbers of the initiative have been taken by various health organizations to make people aware about its consequences but in the state, Health Ministry has no mechanism to keep vigil on chemist shops.
DAK president Dr Nisar Ul Hassan alleged that doctors are prescribing antibiotics to patients when they are not needed, putting patients' lives at great risk. He stated that anyone can get antibiotics from chemist shops without a prescription. |
