Antibiotics misuse: India’s silent health emergency
The Tribune Editorial: Nowhere is this misuse more glaring than in childhood diarrhoea
A new study has highlighted a disturbing reality: patient expectations are a key factor behind the misuse of antibiotics in India. Many people see these drugs as a guaranteed cure, and some doctors in the private sector often oblige in order to retain their patients. The result is staggering — more than half a billion antibiotic prescriptions are written annually in India’s private sector alone, many of them unnecessary. Nowhere is this misuse more glaring than in childhood diarrhoea. Although the majority of cases are viral and respond best to oral rehydration salts and zinc, studies show that nearly 70 per cent are still treated with antibiotics. Misguided demand, weak regulation and overprescribing by doctors have created a dangerous cycle of dependence on drugs that were meant to be used sparingly.
