An increasing number of people in Pakistan are losing their lives each year as a result of antimicrobial resistance. It is the third most common cause of death, after illnesses affecting mothers and newborns and cardiovascular disease. These concerning figures highlight a serious condition and were recently revealed at the National Antimicrobial Stewardship Summit 2024. Hailed as “wonder drugs,” antibiotics have prevented many deaths. But the widespread abuse of them has led to a public health emergency. In 2023 alone, Pakistan—the third-largest antibiotic user in the world—spent Rs126 billion on these medications. Because of excessive use, germs are now showing resistance to antibiotics from the third and fourth generations, which is a grave consequence. There are numerous causes of this problem. The main offenders include self-medication, “prescriptions” written by quacks, partial antibiotic regimens, and poor manufacturing techniques. Furthermore, 80 percent of cases of antimicrobial resistance in this industry are caused by the abuse of antibiotics in cattle, which exacerbates the issue. This affects not only people’s health but also the safety of food supplies. The government must use patient education, healthcare professional training, awareness campaigns, school and community programs, and the distribution of educational materials at pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics to try to raise public and professional understanding of antibiotic resistance. Strict laws governing the sale of antibiotics must also be enforced by the government, guaranteeing that they may only be obtained with a prescription from a qualified physician. To ensure the development of high-quality antibiotics, drug corporations should also be subject to strict regulation. Furthermore, infrastructure spending for healthcare is essential. Overprescription can be reduced by bolstering antimicrobial stewardship initiatives that support hospitals’ judicious use of antibiotics. The Covid-19 epidemic, which saw a jump in antibiotic use despite clinical guidelines advising against treatment for viral illnesses, is one example of a historical health crisis that should be included in these programs. Vaccination campaigns can also be quite important in preventing diseases that might otherwise require the use of antibiotics. Such approaches are effective, as seen by the success of the typhoid conjugate vaccine campaign in Sindh. AMR hangs heavy, with the potential to reverse decades of medical advancement and make common infections incurable. We can only hope to prevent antibiotic overuse from wreaking havoc on public health and preserve it for future generations by making consistent efforts.
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