Dangers of indiscriminate use of antibiotics

A medical expert warned this week that the widespread and indiscriminate use of antibiotics in the country is accelerating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and could render treatment of disease using antibiotics ineffective.

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Dr. Priyantha Atapattu of the National Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance said an immediate program must be put in place to ensure responsible antibiotic use. His warning comes after medical experts in the country observed years of misuse and overuse of these medicines.

“Antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites in humans, animals and plants. These medications may be antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal or antiparasitic,” he said, adding that people should take antibiotics only under proper medical supervision.

This is a worrying trend that has been going on for many years now. This seems to be a problem worldwide. The problem seems to have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), extensive overuse of antibiotics during COVID-19 pandemic worldwide may have exacerbated the “silent” spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).