Antibiotics Unnecessarily Used in 80% of Covid Cases

Desk Report

Published: 24 Nov 2021, 07:23 pm

 Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) || Photo: Collected

Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) || Photo: Collected

A study by the government's Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) found that most cases of coronavirus patients were treated with antibiotics unnecessarily.

The research data was presented at a seminar of IEDCR titled Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Update in Bangladesh on Tuesday (November 23).

Based on the findings of the study, Dr. Rubina Yasmin, Head Professor, Department of Medicine, Mugda Medical College Hospital, said that antibiotics have no role in the treatment of Covid-19. But antibiotics have been abused all over the world.

She said more than 87 percent of those infected with the coronavirus had been given antibiotics. But a maximum of seven percent of them needed antibiotics. That is, there has been an overuse of antibiotics.

She further said that most of the Covid patients in Bangladesh have been given antibiotics by the doctors. And in the case of hospitalized patients, 70 percent of the drugs used were antibiotics. The rate of antibiotic use in ICU patients is 80 to 100 percent. Of these, azithromycin and ceftriaxone were used at 68.9 percent.

Not only that, but the study also found evidence that they had taken antibiotics without consulting a doctor before being admitted to the hospital.

Professor Rubina Yasmeen said researchers had found that 33 percent of patients had taken antibiotics without consulting with doctor before being admitted to hospital.

And these germs are increasing their resistance to antibiotics and as a result antibiotics are losing their effectiveness.

Prof. Dr. Meerjady Sabrina Flora, former director of IEDCR and now Additional Director General of the Department of Health, expressed concern that if the germs become resistant to antibiotics, there will be no one-time antibiotic to use.

"Everyone needs to be aware of the use of antibiotics. At the same time, the rule of law needs to be strengthened. "

Professor Meerjady Sabrina Flora said ordinary people have a responsibility not to take antibiotics. We have seen many prescriptions of people who have been prescribed antibiotics in a Covid-19 situation. Therefore, awareness is needed at all levels. The most awareness needs to be created at the policy-making stage.

Dr. Zakir Hossain Habib, Chief Scientific Officer of IEDCR and Head of the Department of Microbiology, said that ‘resistance’ has been created against all the antibiotics commonly used in Bangladesh. Coronavirus epidemics have also had a major effect on antibiotic resistance.

"It's behavior is that the more you use it, the more resistance you will create against it," he said. The best antibiotic we had was from the carbapenam group, but it was ruined. This drug is most commonly used in ICU. If this drug gets out of our hands, then the ones we have are more expensive, more side effects; Not given everywhere.

IEDCR Director Prof. Dr. Tahmina Shirin presided over the program. Prof. Dr. Nazmul Islam, Director, Disease Control Branch, Department of Health, Prof. Dr. Md. Ehsanul Haque, WHO Representative in Bangladesh Dr. Mohammad Ismail Ramji, Fleming Fund Country Grant Team Lead Professor Dr. Nitish Debnath spoke at the program.

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