In the survey, 61 percent of respondents believe that antibiotics are used to deal with colds and flu. (Photo : REUTERS)
A report released by the World Health Organization on Monday, Nov. 16, revealed that antibiotics in China are widely misused, according to an article by the Global Times.
The report went on to state that the rate of antibiotics prescribed to outpatients in the country is far above the recommended level by the WHO.
The survey commissioned by the WHO was just in time for the first World Antibiotic Awareness Week, which began on Nov. 16. In the first few days of the week alone, it was revealed that public awareness regarding antibiotics in China is far too low.
In the survey, 61 percent of respondents believe that antibiotics are used to deal with colds and flu--a stark contrast to the actual use of antibiotics, which have no effect whatsoever on viruses.
Meanwhile, 35 percent of respondents believe that antibiotics are good to use against headaches.
"Antibiotics are a crucial part of modern medicine, but they have become victims of their own success. As a result of overuse and misuse of antibiotics by both doctors and patients, antibiotic resistance is now a gravely serious global health problem, including here in China," said Dr. Bernhard Schwartlander, WHO's representative in China.
"Antibiotic resistance affects us all. It means infections which were once easily cured are becoming harder to treat, and common surgical procedures such as caesarian sections and appendix removals could become life-threatening due to the risk of untreatable infections," Dr. Schwartlander added.
To address the misuse of antibiotics in China, the National Health and Family Planning Commission has launched several campaigns against its inappropriate use since 2011. If guilty of the violations, doctors may receive warnings or have their licenses revoked.
The WHO has said, however, that while laudable, the government's efforts are not enough.
"The rise of antibiotic resistance is a global crisis. More and more governments recognize the importance of this issue and as one of the greatest threats to health today. The threat is easy to describe--antimicrobial resistance is on the rise in every region of the world," said Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO.
