Use and Misuse of Antibiotics in Private Practice as a Bioethical and Public Health Problem: A Medical Ethnography at a Small Town in District Khairpur, Sindh)

Abstract

Th is study is conducted on th e Antibi oti cs Use in Private Medical Practice: Bioethical and Soc iopolitical Dil emma A medical ethnography at a small town in Distri ct Khairpur, Sindh Identification of Issue: this is (use of antib iotics in medical practice in Pakistan) is an important issue and policy-based research in hea lth sector in Paki stan whi ch needs to be explored and addressed through ethnographic informed medical and applied anthropology approaches to hea lth and medical practice. Medical anthropology's contributions to the health issue, policy and management. Focus of the research is mainly on the two issues bioethics or medical ethics in the use of antibiotics by local private doctors in th eir medical/clinical practice and socio-political: soc iol ogical, legal and community level implications of the local private hea lth sector. Research methodology of thi s study is th at through the purpos ive sample in-depth interviews were conducted by the hea lth practitioners, medi cal shops and general publi c. Parti cipant observation, key informant, focus group discussion and case study were part of research methodology. Field note, photograph y, audio recording, and daily diary were included as research techniques. Main findings of this research are excessive usage of antibiotic medic ine, unavailability of hea lth equipment in hospital s, without proper diagnosing di sease of patient doctor prescribe antibiotic medicine. Easy ava ilabi lity of antibiotic is major reason behind over usage of that, other cause is that socio-cu ltural tendency toward antibioti c and economic cause of antibiotic it is simply accessib le for the all walks of life people. Moreover, Local government and drug regulatory authorities not inspect to practitioners and local drug distributors and also they are corrupt. Another hand, according to community, Medicine is not avai lable in government hospitals and private doctors got heavy fesses. Furthermore, Patients have a no idea about doctor's prescription and doctor not examines side effects of antibiotics.