A visiting World Health Organisation consultant, has found an alarming trend of very high antibiotic usage in Solomon Islands, which is leading towards dangerous levels of resistance.
Dr Anuj Sharma, of the Sir -Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi, India, is soon to complete a three-week consultancy in the country.
He has found that the antibiotic usage in the country is extremely high when compared to many other countries and that more than half of all patients attending health clinics receive an antibiotic.
Dr Sharma says the main reasons for the over-usage appear to be an impression amongst Solomon Islanders that antibiotics can cure all conditions
He says patients come in asking for antibiotics from health workers without needing them, and workers appear to find it difficult to refuse these requests.
The most over-used medicines appear to be Septrin and Amoxycillin, though usage of all antibiotics is high.
