Experts warn against excessive intake of antibiotics

Medical experts have expressed concern that antibiotic resistance is rising to dangerously high levels in Nigeria, threatening doctors’ ability to treat common infectious diseases. Without urgent action, they fear the world is headed for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries can once again kill.

“Excessive abuse of antibiotic leads to resistance strains when not properly used,” Anthony Akhimien, former president, Pharmacists Society of Nigeria said

Akhimien further said, “When people self-medicate there are tendency that it will be taken any how and it will bring down their immunity, leading to resistance, such that in the future when they need that drug it might not work for them.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) fact sheets highlighted says that a way to control the spread of antibiotic resistance, is for antibiotics to be only be used when prescribed by a certified health professional.

WHO advised that antibiotics should not be taken if a health worker says it is not needed.

“Antibiotic resistance leads to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs and increased mortality,” says WHO.

Akhimien corroborates this view “We encourage people to use antibiotics when it is necessary and prescribed after a test has been carried out to recognise the organism with antibiotic drug that can fight it because we have so many organisms.”

In the same vein Gorge Nwagha, a pharmacist based in Lagos, says “When antibiotics drugs are taken excessively the organism tend to have a distance to the drugs you are bringing in, you must test the organism before applying the drugs through investigation, it is only the antibiotics that can clear the organism.”

Ifeanacho Azih, medical laboratory scientist, Medical director, Destiny Lab, said “if any antibiotic is use excessively the body become use to it and started having diminishing return that means it won’t work again to that particular body system.

“The function which that particular drug needs to do been diverted to other area, another organs are now at stake at the mercy of that drug, the liver may not be able to accept that particular drug once it gets to the body because any toxin you take into the body goes to the liver first, the liver will dominate and detoxificate that particular drug and make it safe for your body. Where the body now see the antibiotic as a normal thing, the liver will leave the drug and bypass there by attacking the delicate organs that are not suppose to get to.” He said

WHO outlined five objectives during the 2015 Global Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance, and top of the priority was improving awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance through effective communication, education and training.

“Other aspect of antibiotic is that it becomes toxic, if antibiotic is taken in excess it can go to the pancreas and when the pancreas in damaged damage it will not be able to function the way it should has to produce insulin and decadent whereby you start having what is called diabetes when pancreas is not produces enough insulin. The way it affect the pancreas it can also affect the kidney even the liver.” Azih added