Abuse weakens antibiotics in fighting disease

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Abuse weakens antibiotics in fighting disease
By The Nation
2011-05-02

Growing resistance of disease strains to antibiotics has become critical in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, prompting health experts from around the world to meet in Bangkok this week to plan how to cope with this threat.

"Thailand is now facing the critical situation of antibiotic drug resistance caused by the irrational use of antibiotic drugs," said Niyada Kiatying-Angsulee of the Thai drug-watch system programme.

"Thailand now has imported and produced antibiotic drugs valued at over Bt20 billion a year," she added.

She said medical personnel were to blame for their irrational prescription and dispensing of drugs to patients.

Also, patients were buying drugs without consultation from physicians or experts, leading to inappropriate drug use. Antibiotic drugs for humans had also had been used in animals and fisheries.

"[As a result] many diseases will not be cured as there are no new drugs available for treatment," she said.

To cope with the rise in drug resistance, the drug-watch system programme will team up with ReAct - a Sweden-based organisation that campaigns for public awareness on drug resistance - to hold a three-day international meeting from tomorrow, bringing together hundreds of health experts worldwide to draw up resolutions to tackle drug resistance in the region.