Easy to buy medicine, self-treat
Although there are regulations on prescriptions and dispensing of drugs, in reality, people still have the habit of buying medicine for their own treatment, and pharmacy staff diagnose and prescribe themselves.
Currently, Vietnam still has the unreasonable use of antibiotics, causing antibiotic resistance to increase, creating conditions for microorganisms to become resistant to drugs and can become "multi-resistant" or "super-resistant". This threatens human life and puts great pressure on the health sector, affecting public health and finances.
Having a persistent sore throat that did not go away, without a doctor's prescription, Ms. Le Thi Huong in Cau Giay District, Hanoi, went straight to the Vietnamese pharmacy on Tran Dang Ninh Street to buy medicine to treat herself. "I often have sore throats, and every time I have them, I use the medicine according to the old prescription that the doctor gave me. When I went back to the doctor, the diagnosis was still the same, so I bought the medicine myself," Ms. Huong said.
The practice of buying non-prescription drugs is quite common. Many people just go to the pharmacy and describe their symptoms and then the pharmacist sells them. This not only happens with common medicines such as fever reducers, pain relievers, cough, runny nose, flu... but many types of antibiotics and even prescription drugs are still sold freely by pharmacies.
Vietnam faces rising drug resistance
At the meeting in response to the "World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week" held on November 22, Prof. Dr. Tran Van Thuan - Deputy Minister of Health emphasized that World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week is a global campaign to promote understanding and action on antimicrobial resistance. With this year's theme, "Educate. Mobilize. Act now".
"In Vietnam, antibiotic resistance has become a major public health concern. According to recent antibiotic resistance surveillance results, high rates of antibiotic resistance have been recorded in common bacteria, especially in hospitals. The misuse and overuse of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture are the main causes of antibiotic resistance.
"Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial drugs. Due to resistance, antibiotics and other drugs become ineffective and infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, serious illness and death," said Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan.
Dr. Ha Anh Duc, Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management (Ministry of Health), said: In the health sector, drug resistance threatens many achievements of modern medicine. It makes infections harder to treat and makes other medical procedures and treatments – such as surgery, caesarean sections and cancer chemotherapy – more risky. Drug resistance also places a huge cost burden on both the health system and the economy.
People should only use antibiotics and other antimicrobials as prescribed by a health care professional; always follow health care professional instructions when using antibiotics; do not share or use leftover antibiotics; prevent infections by washing hands regularly, preparing food hygienically, avoiding close contact with sick people, practicing safe sex, and keeping up to date with vaccinations.
In 2023, Vietnam approved the National Strategy on Antimicrobial Resistance Prevention and Control for the 2023-2030 period, with a vision to 2045.
