In Pakistan, 30,000 people die annually because of antibiotic resistance and another 70,000 from other conditions. At a conference on antimicrobial resistance in Karachi, health professionals addressed the issue, describing it as” deeply concerning.”
Antibiotic Resistance: The Third Leading Cause of Death
After heart complaints and motherly and child mortality, antibiotic resistance is Pakistan’s third leading cause of death. It is the third largest consumer of antibiotics worldwide, spending an astonishing PKR 126 billion on them alone last year!
Experts’ Concerns
Doctors pointed out dangers posed by overuse/misuse, such as creating new drug-resistant bacteria strains that cause challenging infections to treat, alluding that these ‘magic bullets’ have significantly contributed to saving lives. Still, they seem useless due to their misuse. Dr Shahzad Ali Khan (Vice Chancellor of Health Services Academy) rightly said, “Antibiotics are magic bullets. They have saved many lives, but we are killing them with our overuse.”
Causes of Antibiotic Resistance
Untoward deals without tradition or proper guidance from croakers on when and how long to take antibiotics, among other factors, contribute to antibiotic resistance. According to former Health Minister Javed Akram, this country does not follow any rules, so it becomes straightforward for anyone who wants drugs like antibiotics, even if they don’t need don’t need them.
Solutions & Collaborations
Various stakeholders, including government institutions and pharmaceutical companies, have come together during conferences like these every year for the past few years, trying to develop national action plans against AR superbugs. Such strategies entail safeguarding responsible use through regulation, especially sales monitoring systems, plus discovering new drugs effective against multi-drug-resistant bacteria, among other things. Memoranda of Understanding were also signed between the MiniMinistry’sartments, viz National Institute Of Health, and other agencies involved, such as pharmaceutical companies.
