Irresponsible use, prescription of antibiotics alarm WHO, DOH

MANILA, Philippines - The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH) have sounded the alarm over the irresponsible use of antibiotics by patients and irresponsible prescription by doctors, saying this can lead to the development of “anti-microbial resistance.”

WHO country director Dr. Soe Nyunt-U said caution should be observed when taking and prescribing antibiotics or the time might come when some medicine might no longer be effective in curing illnesses.

“If we don’t take action now, there will be no cure for tomorrow… This is something of great importance that we have to look at and deal with because it is not easy to find new (antibiotics). It takes generations,” he said in a health forum organized by the Philippine College of Physicians. 

Anti-microbial resistance or drug resistance occurs when microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change in ways that render ineffective the medication used to cure them.

Nyunt-U said anti-microbial resistance has already been seen in some tuberculosis, malaria and Human Immunodeficiency Virus cases worldwide. It can also be acquired from the hospital setting.

He said the matter should not be ignored because “we don’t want microbial resistance happening in all those conditions.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona said it is normal for bacteria and viruses to mutate if they are “threatened” to adjust to something that intend to kill them.

“To avoid developing resistance, make sure you use all antibiotic responsibly, based on indications. Drug resistance is something that may happen and can happen but we can avoid it. It is a threat to our efforts to cure patients,” Ona added.

Dr. Armand Crisostomo, president of the Council for Patient Safety, said even doctors could be guilty for making microorganisms resistant to antimicrobials, which are often called “superbugs.”

He said there are doctors who, for instance, prescribe anti-microbial drugs to a measles patient although measles is viral.

Crisostomo said some doctors prescribe antibiotics that are substandard and under-dose or over- dose, thus rendering the drugs useless.

Resistance to antibiotics can be facilitated by the inappropriate use of medicine, when taking substandard doses or by not finishing a prescribed course of treatment. Low-quality medicine, wrong prescriptions and poor infection can also lead to the development of resistance.

“It’s just like tickling the microorganisms… Microbial resistance is now a silent epidemic. (Affected) patients are not getting well and they are spreading the infection. A proportion of them will succumb or die,” Crisostomo said.