Docs prescribing ineffective drugs

KATHMANDU, April 11: Doctors have been found to prescribe drugs, which have long lost their efficacy, to patients across the country.



Every year, the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) submits a list of ineffective drugs to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP). However, as the MoHP fails to disseminate the information, doctors remain unaware and continue to prescribe ineffective drugs to patients. [break]



According to the NPHL, certain antibiotics face full resistance by bacteria. Such drugs become completely useless and can not cure diseases. “Insensitive antibiotic can not cure the disease,” Dr Geeta Shakya, Executive director of NPHL, said.



“We conduct antimicrobial resistance surveillance and antimicrobial susceptibility testing regularly to know the effectiveness of the drug,” she added. The NPHL currently monitored antibiotic used for diarrheal disease, respiratory infection, typhoid fever, STI infection, and MDR E coli.



The NPHL gives recommendations after analyzing its laboratory reports along with the lab reports of other 10 major hospitals. The reports of Bir Hospital, Patan Hospital, Kanti Children Hospital (KCH), Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Dhulikhel Hospital, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Western Regional Hospital (WRH), Manipal teaching Hospital (MTH), United Mission Hospital (UMN), Tansen and Lumbini Zonal Hospital (LZH), Butwal are analyzed for recommendation.



According to the NPHL, an antibiotic named Cotrimoxozole has faced 100 per cent resistance by viboro cholerae. This means that it is completely ineffective in treating such diseases. Furazolidone faces 94 per cent to 100 per cent resistance and nalidixic 100 per cent resistance. The NPHL recommended Ceftriaxone for the treatment of such disease which has 100 per cent sensitivity.



Similarly, Amoxicillin faces 100 per cent resistance in the treatment of shigella species. Nalidixic acid faces 50 per cent to 100 per cent resistance, Cotrimoxozole 60 per cent to 100 per cent, Mecillinam 80 per cent to 100 per cent, Ciprofloxacin is also not 100 per cent effective. However, Ofloxacin and ceftriaxone antibiotics are still effective in treating diseases like Shigella, which causes dysentry.



Dr Shakya accused MoPH of not disseminating the report of NPHL. “We have our own limitations. We cannot invite all doctors in a single seminar,” she added.

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