I read with great interest the article “Consequences of antibiotic abuse” (Jan. 27) by Jeremy Farrar. It was a very informative article and I recommend all Arab News readers to carefully go through it, as it has highlighted a very serious issue. We usually don’t take such warnings seriously but it is a matter of great concern. I fully agree with the views expressed by the writer.

I think the reason we don’t usually recover from various illnesses is because of antibiotic abuse. It is true that these days, doctors usually prescribe antibiotics even over normal complaints like flu or fever. In addition to that I have noticed people doing self-medication. They usually go to the pharmacy and ask for some antibiotic that some friend had used in a “similar” condition. This is a very dangerous practice and put one’s health at risk. We should try to avoid self-diagnosis and self-medication. There should be rules prohibiting pharmacies from selling antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription. Doctors should also avoid recommending antibiotics in the first go. I think there are rules governing these issues but there is a need for a stricter implementation.

Ghani Baloch

Dammam