In Pakistan’s underserved districts like Rajanpur, easy access to antibiotics without prescriptions is accelerating the country’s growing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) crisis, according to findings obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) law.
An RTI request submitted to the Punjab Healthcare Commission in late 2023 revealed that out of the 112 pharmacies operating across Rajanpur, less than 20 are officially registered or inspected under provincial healthcare regulations. The rest function informally, often managed by untrained salesmen or dispensers with no pharmaceutical license.
During a visit to the Rajanpur district hospital, medical staff confirmed that broad-spectrum antibiotics like Cefixime and Levofloxacin are frequently used to treat patients, even without proper diagnostic testing. “We receive many cases of recurring infections where patients have already self-medicated with leftover antibiotics or bought them directly from shops,” said a senior doctor on the condition of anonymity.
Interviews with local residents in Hajipur and Kot Mithan areas revealed that antibiotics are often seen as “strong medicines” and are used to treat everything from fever to stomachaches. “We just ask the shopkeeper for something strong. If one medicine doesn’t work, we try another,” said a 40-year-old woman caring for her three children. Experts warn this trend could have devastating consequences. According to the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) 2022 report, Pakistan is among the top countries facing deaths from drug-resistant infections. However, rural regions like Rajanpur remain largely outside surveillance systems and lack AMR response strategies.
Despite Pakistan’s National Action Plan on AMR (2018–2023), ground implementation remains patchy. “There is no effective mechanism in place to regulate drug sales in rural areas, and the public is unaware of the risks,” said a representative from a health NGO based in South Punjab.This earlier fieldwork highlights the urgent need for regulated pharmaceutical practices, awareness campaigns, and enforcement of prescription-only antibiotic sales — before resistance becomes irreversible in rural Pakistan.
