The practice of street and over-the-counter sales of mainline antibiotics such as Amoxycillin, Doxycyclene, Chloramphenicol and Septrin is rampant throughout the country.
Are the health authorities aware of this and what are the implications of the use of these drugs without a doctor’s prescription.
For most drugs, a normal dosage is required over a recommended period of time to eliminate organisms causing illness.
Taking less or more can be harmful.
The most serious harm can come from an overdose which can kill, while long-term ill-effects include the development of drug resistance (drugs losing power to kill organisms) if taken in inadequate doses.
Already, resistance to first line antibiotics is being reported to be up to 30% for some illnesses and fatal for some patients.
One does well to ask how do these drugs get out on the street?
A good question and without having to pinpoint anyone at all, my belief is that, it is a smaller scale scam than the one involving snake anti-venoms in PNG.
It occurs with the involvement of health personal.
Just in case my good friends are not aware what legislation makes illicit drug sales illegal, I draw their attention to National Departments “Medicines and Cosmetics Act, 1999” Part 8 sub-sections (1) and (2).
 

Lee Heema Sap
Madang.