WHO, DOH prescription: Don’t split medication dosage

Thinking about splitting that tablet in half to save on medical expenses? Think again, because you might just be giving that virus that’s making you sick the chance to mutate and become drug-resistant. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diseases like tuberculosis (TB) and malaria — both easily curable because of advances in medicine — are becoming harder to cure because of germ mutations caused by “inappropriate and irrational" use of medicines. The phenomenon is called antimicrobial resistance (AMR), wherein microorganisms become resistant to antimicrobial medicines such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials. In a report from GMA News’ “State of the Nation," the WHO and the Department of Health (DOH) outlined the reasons why diseases such as TB and Malaria are becoming harder to cure in the Philippines. WHO Western Pacific Region Spokesman Peter Cordingley and DOH-National Epidemiology Center chief Director Eric Tayag said that self-medication, wrong prescriptions, improper dosage, and the consumption of animals that have been treated with antibiotics are causing AMR. “Sa bawat kabawasan na ginagawan niyo sa antibiotic... nagkakaroon sila ng pagkakataon ngayon na maging resistant sa gamot. Sa susunod na magkakaroon ka ng ganong karamdaman na kailangan mo ng antibiotic, mauubos din pera mo sapagkat hindi ka na gagaling," Tayag said. The WHO reported 440,000 new cases of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) annually. Of these, at least 150,000 resulted in deaths. In the Philippines, 3-6 percent of new TB cases are MDR-TB. — BC/VS, GMA News