Abuse of antibiotic a growing concern in China
Health experts warned people about antibiotics abuse at an event held on Tuesday at the Shanghai Natural History Museum as part of the 2021 Shanghai Science Festival.
Antibiotics abuse in humans and livestock give rise to drug-resistant germs. Accordingly, the effects of antibiotics wear off, making it harder to treat various infections such as pneumonia and tuberculosis.
According to the World Health Organization, bacterial resistance kills nearly 700,000 people every year. If it's not well controlled, the annual death toll could rise to 10 million in 2050.
China is the biggest consumer of antibiotics in the world, and abuse is prevalent. Doses of antibiotics used in China are about nine times higher than in the United States, and six times higher than in European countries.
This has imposed great risks to humans, especially children, and the environment, according to Cao Qing, chief doctor of the infectious disease department at Shanghai Children's Medical Center.
"Antibiotics account for nearly 88 percent of all drugs used on children, as they are more vulnerable to infections," Cao said. "We should work to educate doctors and parents how to properly use antibiotics."