Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Malik on Tuesday (October 4) said no drugstore or organization will be allowed to sell antibiotics without the prescription of a registered physician.
"If any drugstore sells non-prescribed antibiotics, its license will be cancelled," he added.
The minister made the remarks at an inter-ministerial meeting on the prevention of widespread use of antibiotics at the ministry in the capital on Tuesday.
Zahid Malik said, "More than 15 lakh people die in the world every year due to the wrong use of antibiotics."
The minister also said, "The death rate is increasing in Bangladesh as well due to wrong use of antibiotics. The sale of antibiotic in the country goes berserk. Sales of antibiotics without prescription of registered doctors is not seen anywhere in the world except our country."
"There is no control of antibiotics in our country. The presence of antibiotics is even seen in fish and meat," he added.
Zahid Malik also said that they are working to enact the "Medicines Act-2022" to control the wrong use of antibiotics.
He also put emphasis on stopping the use of antibiotics. Otherwise it will be a silent pandemic for us, he said.
