HEALTHY LYF: Be Prepared for the SUPERBUG!

The Wet Season is here again and this means the start of the sickness season. With typhoons now entering the country more often, the spread of diseases are also on the rise. One of them is the deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria better known as the “superbug”. These bacteria is like a superhero that is resistant even with mankind’s most powerful class of antibiotics, the carbapenems, is ineffective against them and they have the potential to cause fatal illnesses. Philippine health authorities warn us that the country is at risk of superbug infection.

Superbugs are already spreading across the world—superbug infections have been reported in India, Pakistan, the UK, the U.S., Australia, Japan and other Asian countries like China, Taiwan and Korea. The World Health Organization and our own Department of Health are already on the alert.

Superbugs emerge when bacteria that survive improper antibiotic treatment mutate or evolve. These superbugs are able to change their chemical structure in ways that give them the ability to neutralize antibiotics.

There is no cure for superbugs—the best way to fight them is through prevention. Prevention includes changing our personal health habits in ways that keep superbugs from emerging and spreading. Just think: do you have habits that contribute to superbug emergence and spread?

Antibiotics misuse: Common and worrisome

The misuse of antibiotics is the primary reason for the emergence of superbugs. Ignorance, wrong beliefs, poverty—these factors play a part in patients’ misuse of antibiotics. The following practices are, unfortunately, fairly common:

Self-medication. Self-medication is risky for our health, especially if we self-medicate with antibiotics. Not all antibiotics are the same—taking the wrong ones is dangerous to our health and causes superbugs to develop.

Non-compliance with antibiotic dosage. There are patients who fail to complete the entire recommended antibiotic dosage. This practice worsens health and promotes the development of superbugs.

Unsanitary habits. Personal cleanliness goes a long way in preventing bacterial infection and illness. Hand-washing and other hygiene habits must be maintained.

Antibiotics compliance campaign

Drugstore chain WATSONS PHARMACY and pharmaceutical manufacturer UNILAB are implementing a joint campaign to teach and promote good compliance with the right antibiotic.

UNILAB helps with the campaign by providing commonly prescribed antibiotics for most infections at lower prices—all of which are of guaranteed high quality.

WATSONS PHARMACY on the other hand contributes to the campaign by: 1) Providing a staff of competent and knowledgeable pharmacists. Watsons pharmacists give consumers advice on how to use antibiotics properly; 2) Offering these antibiotics to consumers in Compliance Packs.

These Compliance Packs are sold exclusively in WATSONS PHARMACY outlets. These Compliance Packs are pre-packed in quantities usually prescribed by doctors. This makes it easier for consumers to complete the full antibiotic dose thus avoiding bacterial resistance.

Compliance Packs are sold at prices that are forty to sixty percent lower compared to the prices of multinational brands. They also contain educational materials to teach consumers about infections and how to properly treat these infections with antibiotics.

We must fight the superbug now before it’s too late. Follow your doctor’s advice and educate yourself about proper antibiotic use and personal hygiene.