Abuse of antibiotics causing high mortality in patients

[Naveed Yaseen]

Mango leaves contain high antibacterial activity against typhoid

Sunday, November 08, 2009
Our correspondent

Islamabad

The 33rd Annual Conference of the Pakistan Association of Pathologists (PAP) is in full swing at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), with new research findings and facts depicting the true state of health and medicine in the country being shared in order to chart a roadmap for improvement.

The alarming situation of drug resistance in Pakistan, as well as in other countries of the world, was the topic of the Ar-Razi lecture delivered by General ® Abdul Hannan, chief microbiologist, University of Health Sciences, in one of the sessions on Friday.

The lecture was titled after the great Muslim scientist who, along with Ibn-e-Sina and Ibn-e-Nafees, laid the foundation of modern hospitals and medicine. Abdul Hannan also presented the great antibiotic properties of some natural food items including honey, garlic, ‘kalongi’ and mango leaves, which provide protection against typhoid.

Hannan highlighted the poor situation of infection control in hospitals, particularly in operating theatres, emergencies and wards. He said, irrational use of antibiotics has eliminated the good bacteria and encouraged bad, resistant bacteria, thereby depriving the poor and middle-income patients of cheap medicines. He narrated several examples of patients dying on account of not being able to afford expensive antibiotics as they had become resistant to cheaper drugs. He highlighted that only a few hospitals have properly functioning Infection Control Committees.

Earlier, General ® Manzoor Ahmad highlighted the progress made in pathology and laboratory medicine. He shared that only a few years back, there were less than 50 pathologists in the whole of Pakistan; now, their number has risen to 15,000.

Professor Anwar-Ul-Haque, who is the driving force behind the annual conference, challenged the impression of no research activity taking place in the field of medicine in Pakistan. “Over 150 original research papers on a variety of subjects will be presented at the PAP conference. We have stood firm in the face of security risks and decided not to cancel the conference; we will not allow the enemies of Pakistan to disrupt our normal functioning,” he added. He hoped that the conference would prove immensely useful for consultant pathologists and postgraduate students.

Dr. Ashok Kumar thanked all those involved in organisation of the conference. Professor Dr. Aley Hassan Zaidi was chosen as president elect and Professor Anwar Ali Akhund as secretary/treasurer elect of PAP.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=207362