November 20, Colombo (LNW): Public health experts have issued a fresh warning about the careless use of antibiotics, cautioning that such behaviour is accelerating antimicrobial resistance and undermining the effectiveness of treatments that were once routine.
Speaking at a media briefing, Dr Priyantha Atapattu of the National Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance stressed that the misuse and overuse of antibiotics has been a persistent concern for clinicians.
He noted that although these medicines are designed to combat infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, they should only be used when properly prescribed and carefully monitored.
Dr Atapattu emphasised that identifying the precise cause of an illness is essential before beginning any course of treatment. When people self-medicate—often using the wrong drug, taking incorrect doses or resorting to antibiotics for conditions that do not require them—they inadvertently contribute to a wider, more dangerous trend.
This growing resistance, known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), develops when disease-causing organisms adapt and become impervious to standard medicines. As a result, infections that were once easily treatable may become prolonged, complicated or even fatal. Dr Atapattu pointed out that although hundreds of antibiotics have been developed since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, fewer than 200 remain reliably effective today.
He added that AMR was linked to an estimated 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019, with some analyses suggesting the toll could be closer to 5 million. Without swift and sustained action, annual global fatalities could reach 10 million by the middle of the century.
The consequences of unnecessary antibiotic use, he warned, include failed treatments, long-term health complications, disability and death. In light of the growing threat, health authorities have urged the public not to demand antibiotics unless prescribed by a qualified medical professional, while pharmacists have been reminded of their responsibility to dispense such medicines only upon valid prescriptions.
