Antibiotics are medicines which target bacteria by killing them or preventing them from multiplying. They are crucial in ensuring that infections remain under control, and thus have been instrumental in drastically reducing mortality rates.
The widespread use and abuse of antibiotics have however become a major issue in recent years. Due to the evolutionary pressure placed on bacteria, more and more strains have grown resistant to our current arsenal of antibiotics. This has come to the point where in 2016, bacteria resistant to the most powerful antibiotic we have available were found in China. If this continues, we will eventually be at risk of dying of previously-harmless bacterial infections due to antibiotic resistance.
The World Health Organisation is thus working towards antibiotic stewardship globally to alleviate the situation. It requires cooperation from all stakeholders, including you as a patient. Here is what you have to know:
1. Antibiotics are not always necessary.
Antibiotics treat bacterial infections only, and are useless in cases of viral infections. Therefore, your doctor might not prescribe antibiotics if he/she thinks they are unnecessary. Please do not demand them from your doctor in such instances.
2. For antibiotics to be effective, they have to be taken at the right dose and timing.
When dispensing antibiotics, the pharmacist should have informed you of the correct method of taking it. Following the pharmacist's instructions is important. This is because antibiotics work only if their concentrations in the bloodstream are of a certain level for a certain amount of time. Deviating from the instructions will result in suboptimal treatment and unnecessarily increase risks of developing antibiotic resistance. Also, make sure you complete that course of antibiotics!
3. Leftover or expired antibiotics should be disposed of appropriately.
Antibiotics should not be thrown away together with the common trash. Please bring them to the pharmacy of your nearest hospital, and the staff will ensure that they are discarded in the right manner.
Thank you for doing your part in antibiotic stewardship!
