[e-drug] Non-prescription sale of antibiotics (12)

["M.Haroon Baacha" <haroonbacha5@yahoo.com>]

E-DRUG:  Non-prescription sale of antibiotics (12)
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In Pakistan, antibiotics are freely available everywhere.
  By "everywhere" I mean all those areas where one can take medicines you will find antibiotics.
  In most areas, one needs no prescription, you just can point towards an antibiotic and get it.
   
  Minor positive change is seen where a graduate pharmacist is posted at any retail pharmacy, but this example can be quoted only for big cities.
   
  At BHU and RHC level, which is the very initial stage of primary health care in Pakistan, antibiotics of even 3rd generation are prescribed.
   
  With apologies I would mention that most of the pharmaceutical companies finance for generating of "me too" prescriptions. Due to lack of patient knowledge about medicines and unavailabilty of pharmacist at retail pharmacies, the patient insists that he/she needs the same brand which is prescribed, and therefore, the retailer will definitely store the same brand.
   
  These all factors created drug resistence, financial burden over the patient and thus inaccessability and unaffordability to healthcare needs. 
   
  Muhammad Haroon Bacha
  B.Pharm,D.P.H.
  Manager for essential medicines 
  WHO, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  Tel:     0092-300-599-7001
  email:  haroonbacha5@yahoo.com