Health experts have raised serious concerns over the rampant misuse of antibiotics in Pakistan. Alarmingly, 70% of these medications are used unnecessarily. This issue was highlighted during the Antimicrobial Stewardship Conference in Karachi, supported by the National Institute for Health Services Academy.
Global and Local Impact of AMR
Experts underscored the global threat posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at the conference. Each year, complications from AMR cause 5 million deaths worldwide. They identified the indiscriminate use of antibiotics as a critical issue, prompting urgent calls for stricter control measures.
Rising Deaths in Pakistan
Professor Shahzad Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor of Islamabad’s Health Services Academy, highlighted a troubling local statistic. AMR is now the third leading cause of death in Pakistan, after cardiovascular disease and maternal and neonatal disorders. The country sees 300,000 deaths annually from drug-resistant bacteria and 700,000 deaths from AMR overall.
Pakistan’s Antibiotic Consumption
A report from The News added that Pakistan is the third largest consumer of antibiotics globally, following China and India. In 2023, the country consumed antibiotics worth Rs126 billion. Health officials, public health experts, physicians, and policymakers urged the public to avoid using antibiotics without advice from trained medical professionals.
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Urgent Calls for Responsible Antibiotic Use
Professor Khan lamented the misuse of antibiotics by doctors, quacks, and the general public. He warned that such practices render these vital drugs ineffective. “Antibiotics are wonder drugs that saved millions of lives during world wars and pandemics, but their irrational use has led to AMR, a growing global public health concern,” he said.
Contributing Factors to AMR
He identified key factors contributing to AMR: self-medication, unjustified prescriptions by unqualified individuals, incomplete antibiotic courses, and the production of substandard antibiotics by some companies.
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