Public Health Association of India member and physician Kutikuppala Surya Rao on Thursday said antibiotic resistance, mainly due to self-medication, was a matter of global concern.
Speaking on the occasion of World Health Day, he said in AP, antibiotic resistance was going to be a huge meance. “It's unfortunate that many powerful antibiotics are being sold over the counter by many chemists and druggists,” he pointed out.
Dr. Rao, a Padmasri awardee, quoted a study which found that the sale of antibiotics without prescription was the highest in AP compared to other Southern States. Some quacks without any knowledge prescribe the most costly antibiotics even for viral fevers without any rationale and adding enough fuel to the upcoming monster of antibiotic resistance, he opined.
“To curb this menace, stringent steps should be initiated at the government and community level.”