IAP South Zone Vice-President Dr. Shrinath B. Mugali’s advise to doctors

Mysuru: Indiscriminate use of antibiotics has rendered it ineffective and led to the rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance, said Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) South Zone Vice-President Dr. Shrinath B. Mugali.

He was speaking at the “Antimicrobials Stewardship Module” launch organised by the IAP, IAP Infectious Diseases (ID) Chapter and IAP Mysore District Branch at Sri Rajendra Centenary Auditorium in JSS Hospital premises here yesterday.

“In our country, over prescription of antibiotics and ability to purchase and use of antibiotics even without prescription has resulted in standard treatments becoming ineffective. Antibiotic Stewardship Protocols help to optimise treatment of infections and reduce the adverse events and resistance associated with antibiotic use. In this background, all those in the profession of medicine must be careful before prescribing antibiotics,” said Dr. Shrinath Mugali.

JSS Medical College Principal Dr. H. Basavana Gowdappa, speaking after inaugurating the programme, said that due to the availability of effective vaccines and the maintenance of hygiene in the hospitals, the incidences of infections are on the decline.

However, a situation has arisen where the use of antibiotics in treating Tuberculosis (TB) is on the wane. Hence, the doctors should be morally responsible to use the antibiotics only when it is required, he said.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, IAP Mysore President Dr. Rajeshwari Madappa said that each year, more than seven lakh people die worldwide, due to antimicrobial resistant infections.

Antimicrobial resistance is the ability of bacteria, virus or other parasites to stop the working of antibiotics, antiviral and anti-malarial. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, she said. Those who are not MBBS doctors, advise the patients who come to them to take antibiotics. This is not correct as it results in people becoming ill. Hence, patients must be careful in going only to qualified medical doctors and taking their advice. The public should understand that for common cough and cold there is no need for taking antibiotics, she said.

Earlier, small antibiotics would work effectively against microbes or germs. However, this is not the status today. In the last 10 years, there are no new inventions of antibiotics. In developed countries like America without prescription, the drug shop owners will never dispense medicines. But in our country, we do not have such stringent laws, said Dr. Rajeshwari Madappa, expressing concern.

More than 100 people including doctors, nursing staff, infection control officials, laboratory staff, microbiologists and pathologists participated in the Antimicrobial Stewardship programme.

Dr. D. Narayanappa, Dr. Sanjay Ghorpade, Dr. Shyam Kukreja and Dr. H.C. Krishna Kumar of IAP Mysore Branch were present at the   training programme.

If a person unnecessarily takes antibiotics and if there is an antimicrobial resistance, the effect is not just on the person taking it but it could adversely impact the whole community.

—Dr. Rajeshwari Madappa, President, IAP, Mysore Branch