Ranking 11th globally in antibiotic use, Vietnam faces a serious risk of drug resistance, ‘running out of treatment options due to antibiotic resistance’.
According to statistics, treatment options due to antibiotic resistance’, 79% of antibiotics taken in Vietnam are over the recommended level, and antibiotics are most often prescribed unnecessarily(*).
Scientists also highlight the fact that most antibiotics in our country are sold without prescriptions, while many sellers lack proper qualifications and experience but still prescribe medications to people independently. Several people self-medicate common colds with antibiotics.
In the context of limited resources, doctors face numerous challenges. Nearly half of the surveyed doctors reported that there is lack of training programmes. Knowledge gaps and patient expectations also contribute to this situation. A study by OUCRU conducted at 3 tertiary hospitals showed that 50% of surveyed doctors admitted to prescribing antibiotics frequently and more than necessary.
To improve the antibiotic resistance situation in Vietnam, the government has implemented antibiotic stewardship programs since 2016. To better understand the factors influencing antibiotic use decisions in Vietnamese hospital settings, the research team at OUCRU conducted a survey on knowledge, attitudes, and prescribing practices among doctors at tertiary hospitals in Vietnam, aiming to help guide the development of targeted interventions and policies to promote more effective antibiotic use, minimize unwanted consequences of antibiotic use, and preserve drug effectiveness for the future.
Understanding Vietnam’s antibiotic stewardship program from youth perspectives
According to the Woolcock Medical Institute, citing a global study on non-prescription antibiotic use, the rate of self-purchased antibiotics in Vietnamese communities is 62%, significantly higher than countries like China at 36%, Indonesia 17%, India 18%, while the UK is only 3%. One obstacle in changing antibiotic use behavior in hospitals and communities is that patient expectations can pressure doctors into unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.
However, antibiotic stewardship remains an unfamiliar concept to the public as it is mainly discussed at national and international conferences. To help popularise this concept and contribute to raising awareness about antibiotics in the community, Collab Lab has created a summary of this important research.
Using the interesting perspective of a ‘keyboard battle’ between doctors and bacteria on an imaginary social media platform, Collab Lab’s video provides an easy-to-understand and visual approach, helping the public grasp the importance of antibiotic stewardship and rational antibiotic use.
Watch this Collab Lab video on OUCRU’s public communications channels and at the Collab Lab project page.
Reference:
(*) https://vnexpress.net/nguy-co-khong-con-thuoc-chua-do-khang-khang-sinh-4530533.html
