Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said that sale of antibiotics without doctor’s prescription should be stopped and necessary restrictions should be imposed. “Antibiotics are available everywhere in Bangladesh, and the sale of such antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription must be stopped,” she said. The Prime Minister said this while Director of Biology Department of Ineos Institute of Antimicrobial Research, Oxford University, Prof Timothy E Walsh called on her at her official residence Ganabhaban. After the meeting, PM’s speech writer Md. Nazrul Islam briefed the reporters. The PM told the Oxford University researcher that once antibiotics were given from community clinics of the country, but now that has been stopped. “Now antibiotics are given from the public hospitals with prescriptions of physicians,” she said. Urging proper use of antibiotics, the Prime Minister said that efforts are being made to ensure that antibiotics are not sold everywhere in Bangladesh. Also Read: Bangladesh almost self-sufficient in treatment of heart diseases: PM Hasina Timothy E Walsh said that anti-microbial resistance (AMR) has become an epidemic in the world eight now. Noting that if it is not prevented now, it will take a more dire form in the future, he expressed fear that millions may die as a result. He praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's actions during her duties as co-chair of the Global Leaders Group on AMR.  At the meeting, the Prime Minister highlighted the various steps taken by the government for the overall development of the health sector, including the establishment of specialized hospitals and institutes such as National Institute of Ophthalmology, Sheikh Russel National Gastroliver Institute and Hospital, Cardiovascular Institute, and Neurosciences Hospital. Sheikh Hasina said her government has given special emphasis to research in various fields including agriculture, basic and medical science. She said that apart from providing scholarships for general students, fellowships are given in 200 higher education institutions, especially in PhD, post-doctoral and research fields. The Oxford University professor proposed to introduce Bangabandhu IOI Fellowship from Ineos Institute of Antimicrobial Research for Bangladeshi students for research in medical and basic sciences under the fellowship. In response, the Prime Minister gave her consent in-principle for the fellowship. In addition, Timothy E Walsh also proposed a partnership of the Bangladesh National Parliament on AMR with the Caucuses of the British Parliament and the Prime Minister gave her positive response.  

Medicine stores will not be allowed to sell antibiotics without prescriptions from physicians and if they do so, their licenses will be revoked, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said today. “The government is going to enact a new law to prevent misuse of antibiotics, and if any drug store sells antibiotics without prescription, its license will be revoked,” he said while talking to reporters at the Secretariat. Read: Policies must to stop misuse, overuse of antibiotics: Health Minister Terming misuse of antibiotics a “silent killer”, he said that every year, 15 lakh people around the world die due to excessive consumption of antibiotics and Bangladesh is also seeing a rise in its negative effects. Taking antibiotics without prescription has created negative impacts on public health, said the minister. Read: BSMMU VC warns against excessive use of antibiotics Besides, the presence of antibiotics was also found in fish and meat which is also a matter of grave concern, he added. He also stressed the need to create public awareness about the excessive use of antibiotics.