Global medical guidelines are clear at the moment when antibiotics must and should not be used. They cannot cure viral diseases such as flu or colds. Large spectrum antibiotics cannot be prescribed as first -line treatment, and in most cases, antibiotics should not be prescribed for long periods.
And yet, inappropriate prescriptions are widespread worldwide. Like González, people want treatment for in particular for urinary tract infections, even if there is no microbiological confirmation of the problem.
The boom in multi -resistant bacterial strains of E. Coli in the world has reduced effective treatment options.
Bishnu Raj Karki, Nepal in Nepal, underwent bladder surgery after persistent urinary tract infections in 2020. After surgery, he obtained another urinary tract infection, which did not improve even after taking antibiotics. He crossed the border in India in the hope that he would get effective treatment. There he received a diagnosis of kidney inflammation and was prescribed a 42 -day antibiotic course.
Things got worse from there. The UTI returned and Karki had chills, high fever, nausea and other symptoms. Now 71 years old, he still has trouble recovering and needs dialysis three times a week. He has spent more than 2 million Nepalese rupees (around 14,800 dollars) for his treatment so far.
“If my use is coming off, I know I can die at any time,” he says.
In many cases, antibiotics are taken “like candies”, explains Dr. Prabhat Adhikari, specialist in diseases and infection intensive care at the Center for American Medical Specialists in Nepal, which supervises Karki’s care.
The doctor says that a prescription for a 42 -day antibiotic for urinary tract infection is poor practice and has probably led Karki to develop antibiotic resistance – the problem that ultimately caused his kidney failure.
AMR in UTIs is alarming in Nepal, says Adhikari. A 2021 study shows that 84% of uses there have shown resistance to at least one antibiotic, while 54% are multidrogue resistant.
“The quality of life of patients with continuousness to decrease,” says Adhikari.