Antibiotic resistance: An increasingly threatening but neglected public health challenge in Bangladesh

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance is a global problem, and Bangladesh is a significant contributor to this owing to its poor healthcare standards and the misuse and overuse of antibiotics. The available studies suggest that antibiotic self-medication is highly prevalent in developing countries due to easy availability and poor regulatory controls for selling these drugs. Over-prescribing and inappropriate use of antibiotics contribute to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Bangladesh. Few studies in low and middle-income settings have employed qualitative approaches to examine the constituents of antibiotic sale and dispensing across the full range of healthcare providers. Misconceptions and misinformation led to a wide range of inappropriate uses of antibiotics across the different categories of human and animal healthcare providers. Low awareness of antibiotic action and antibiotic resistance was apparent among healthcare providers, particularly those with little or no training and those in rural areas. Specific and targeted interventions to address AMR in Bangladesh should include educational messages on the rational use of antibiotics and how they work, targeting all types of healthcare providers.