Increasing trend of self-medication and ineffective antibiotics

Rajender Kumar Sharma
Often we get to see around us, at our relatives’ place, where people themselves start treating every small and big disease. The basis of this treatment is the internet search engine and the medicine given by the doctor for the same disease suffered by any other family member in the past and/or the medicine prescription. We forget that every person’s physical structure, his need, the effect of medicines on his body are different. Every person’s body reacts differently to a particular medicine or chemical. But today’s young, educated generation, by the grace of internet, is quite aware about medical tests, treatment methods and medicines.
Having knowledge about diseases and medicines is a positive quality. The way medical services and education have become commercialized today. In such a situation, even the doctor has to be a little professional. In such circumstances, it is very important for you to have knowledge of diseases, medicines and medical tests, so that you or your patient cannot be unnecessarily exploited by the hospital and the doctors.
But it does not mean at all that you become a doctor yourself and start giving medicines to the family members. The most dangerous and worrying aspect of self-medication use is coming in front of us today, according to a news last year, according to the largest study ever done about the effect of antibiotics published in the medical journal The Lancet Journal, in the year 2019 the world Worldwide, more than 1.2 million people have died, which has been attributed to anti-microbial resistance (AMR) or ineffectiveness of medicines. This makes treatment of diseases difficult and increases the risk of death. According to this research team, AMR was the direct or indirect cause of death of about 6 million people worldwide in the year 2019. This figure is much higher than the deaths due to malaria and AIDS.
The gist of the above report is that the whole world has become addicted to antibiotics to such an extent that now antibiotics have become ineffective on many bacteria / pathogens and if this rate continues, then very soon we will reach the old era. The progress of medical science may prove futile.
On the basis of old prescriptions of doctors, patients are taking such medicines directly from medical stores. According to the age and weight of the patient, the doctor decides the dose of antibiotics and the medicine has to be taken for a certain period. Even if you have recovered, you will still have to take this medicine for the duration prescribed by the doctor. This is because it is essential for the body’s immunity. But today people are joking with the medicines of antibiotics class. Whenever there is a desire, they start taking antibiotics, as soon as there is some relief, they stop taking antibiotics, which results in the microorganisms of the disease becoming resistant to the antibiotic, that is, if in the future, the same pathogen attack the body again, this antibiotic will no longer be effective against these pathogens. Now more powerful antibiotics will have to be taken. This is the reason that earlier a very few antibiotics were there, but now more new antibiotics are being invented everyday.
nd if this situation continues, then the human body will gradually become resistant to all antibiotics and antibiotics will not be effective on the bacteria / pathogens of the disease.
Therefore, today we have to understand that practicing and following self-medication will only have bad effects on our body. Allergy caused by medicines can take fatal form in future. Therefore, medicines should not be consumed like other food items. Medicines should be taken only on the advice of the doctor. Medical stores shouldn’t sell medicines without Doctor’s prescriptions.
(Writer is a Columnist & Sr. Educator, Dehradun, Uttrakhand. Views are personal)