Antibiotics Prescription, Dispensing Practices and Antibiotic Resistance Pattern in Common Pathogens in Nepal: A Narrative Review

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is increasing and it is a serious public health problem worldwide. Nepal is considered as one of the contributors for rising AMR due to the most prevalent irrational use of antibiotics. In this review, we have assessed the practices of antibiotic prescription and dispensing, and antibiotic resistance of commonly encountered bacteria in Nepal. There is exponential increase of therapeutic consumption of antibiotics either without clinician’s prescription or irrational prescription. Almost half of the population in Nepal was found to purchase antibiotics easily from the nearby pharmacies without clinician’s prescription. Irrational prescription is exceeded in remote areas which could be due to lack of access with health posts and hospitals. The third generation cephalosporins, which are considered as the last resort antibiotics were found to be relatively prescribed and dispensed higher as compared to other classes of antibiotics. Despite the existing limited functional surveillance system, antibiotic resistance among bacteria is increasing in Nepal because of irrational prescription, dispensing and consumption of antibiotics without prescription.