According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), Montenegro is at the very top of European statistics on the consumption of antibiotics.
Last year alone, almost two million euros more than in 2020 were allocated from the budget for the purchase of these medicines.
A serious problem is that antibiotics are often misused, and experts warn that this can have serious health consequences.
The majority of citizens of Montenegro prefer to choose medicines. We treat almost every real or imagined inflammation, often on our own, with antibiotics.
According to WHO statistics, our country ranks fifth in Europe in the number of antibiotics used, and data from the Institute of Medicines show that about six million and 300 thousand euros were spent on them last year, which is almost two million more than in 2020.
"We practically returned to a higher level of consumption than in 2011, when we were second in Europe in terms of consumption. Then we had 31,5 of those units that measure the amount of antibiotics consumed, and today we have 31,7. So, we we are worse now than when we started and tried to do something and achieve something. Now we have to start all over again," said Gordana Mijović from the National Commission for the Control of Microbial Resistance.
This is the fault of patients who insist on using antibiotics even when they are not needed, but also some doctors who prescribe them lightly. The biggest problem, however, is self-medication.
World experts also warn about the abuse of antibiotics, especially in the Balkans.
Andrej Trampuž, director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic of Berlin Hospital "Sherit", guesting on Boje jutra on TV Vijesti, emphasized that this type of medicine can only be used if it is required by the performed diagnostics, on the basis of which the doctor prescribes a specific type of antibiotic. Otherwise, they can cause resistance to treatment, disability and even death.
The National Commission says that they will strive to reduce the consumption of antibiotics and believe in good results, and in November they will organize a round table where they will give further guidelines for the proper use of these drugs.
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