Overuse of Antibiotics Could Lead to Untreatable Infections, Health Experts Say
Officials from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), the National Institute of Health (NIH), and leading infectious disease specialists have expressed grave concerns over the misuse of antibiotics in Pakistan.
Speaking at an Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) awareness session, they warned that practices like self-medication, overprescription, and incentivized prescriptions are contributing to the rise of drug-resistant superbugs.
Dr. Faisal Sultan, CEO of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital, emphasized the urgent need for government regulation to ensure antibiotics are only sold with valid prescriptions.
He also proposed creating a Unified Prescription App to monitor antibiotic sales across the country. “Antibiotics were revolutionary, but their misuse is now causing diseases like typhoid to become untreatable,” Sultan stated.
AMR, described by experts as a “silent pandemic,” occurs when bacteria and other pathogens evolve to resist the drugs meant to eliminate them, leading to more difficult-to-treat infections.
In Pakistan, the widespread overuse of antibiotics has led to higher mortality rates, prolonged hospital stays, and costlier treatments.
Dr. Muhammad Salman, CEO of NIH Islamabad, highlighted data from a survey of 11 major hospitals in Pakistan, revealing that 92% of hospitalized patients were prescribed antibiotics, signaling a critical overuse in the healthcare system.
The experts stressed that without immediate action, AMR could pose one of the greatest threats to public health in Pakistan.