IMA-Punjab, paediatrics academy to use awareness as cure for self-medication

The dangers of self-medication and indiscriminate use of antibiotics were on Saturday communicated to doctors in an awareness event organised here.

The dangers of self-medication and indiscriminate use of antibiotics were on Saturday communicated to doctors in an awareness event organised here.

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The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Punjab, and the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, which organised this meeting, will observe September 28 (Sunday) as Rational Antibiotic Day, followed by Antibiotic Awarenesss Week" till October 5 for taking the message to medical professionals and common people.

At the meeting, IMA state joint secretary Dr Amandeep Aggarwal said the antibiotic era ushered in with the discovery of penicillin on September 28, 1928, by later Nobel laureate Alexander Fleming seemed to be coming to an end. "Bacteria are developing resistance to many antibiotics that are misused, overused or abused. A global catastrophe looms," he said.

Central IAP executive board member Dr VK Ahuja said that delayed action could push the world into Dark Ages, with no antibiotic left to treat serious infections. "Multi-drug resistant (X-MDR) tuberculosis is the most serious of catastrophes, since the bacteria that causes it is resistance to all anti-TB drugs.

"The antibiotics cure only the bacterial infections, and not viral infections such as common cold, flu and simple diarrhoea," said IMA-Sangrur president Dr Makhan Singh. "Antibiotics should only be taken, if prescribed by a qualified doctor. Self-medication or abuse can be dangerous," he said.