'Big Sin If Babies Powder Mixed Antibiotics'

Medication is generally given in the form of baby powder that contains several types of drugs, one of which is an antibiotic. While antibiotics should not be mixed with other drugs.

"The antibiotic drugs should not be mixed in the powder drug and should be separated, the big sin," said Professor Iwan Dwi Prahasto in a press conference seminar 'Antimicrobial Resistance Containment and Prevention,' at the Balai Kartini, Jakarta, Thursday (07/04/2011 .)

Prof. Iwan said that around 47-68 percent of antibiotics are mixed with other drugs in the form of a powder. This condition is still found in the primary health services such as health centers, private practice physicians and clinics.

"In the drug powder is usually mixed with the drug analtetik antibiotics or other analgesics," added Prof Iwan.

Prof. Iwan suggested that people do not want to be prescribed medication for powder, if using the drug powder must ask whether or not containing antibiotics and destroy it better myself.

Antibiotics should be consumed until they run out, but if mixed together with other drugs in powder form, the administration of drugs will be discontinued when symptoms are gone. This causes the dose is not consumed with the appropriate antibiotics and can lead to resistance.

Other things that become a problem in medicine is hygiene powder (if using a mask and gloves while dispensing), which is generally not the same dose of each wrap, homogeneity, hygroscopic, the absorption of different drugs in the stomach, skills, and drug interactions.

Prof. Iwan said interactions between drug can vary as mutually reinforcing, suppressed levels of other drugs, treatment becomes ineffective, the treatment becomes toxic to treatment failure.

Antibiotics are often given for diarrhea and ARI

Based on studies conducted in 2004 by the UGM and also the World Bank on 5 provinces in Indonesia, East Kalimantan, West Sumatra, East Nusa Tenggara, West Kalimantan and East Java found that 87 percent of patients given antibiotic diarrhea and ARI 92-94 percent of patients given antibiotics .

On average, people taking antibiotics only for 1.2 to 2.7 days. This condition is found in basic health services such as health centers, private doctors and clinics.

"This means it's not appropriate, patients also do not eat properly," he said.

Prof. Iwan said currently if a person has a fever, cough, runny nose immediately given antibiotics without seeing the microbes, whereas antibiotics should be given in accordance with the bacteria that cause disease.

"People should be aware not to buy medicines or treat yourself and ask any type of medication received. In general, colds, coughs and diarrhea do not need antibiotics," said Health Minister Dr Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih, MPH, DrPH.

To control the irrational use of antibiotics has been launched book Antibiotics Usage Guidelines for Hospitals and Health Facilities prepared by the Ministry of Health.