Overuse of Antibiotic Injections in Pakistan? Data Raises Red Flags but who is listening?

According to DHS survey 2019 on which Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics is building a dashboard for easier use , 10% of Pakistanis report receiving an antibiotic injection for treating diarrhoea, and another 8% say they were given an antibiotic injection for fever.

These are not conditions that typically require injectable antibiotics in primary care. In most global clinical guidelines, uncomplicated diarrhoea and common fevers are managed with oral rehydration, symptomatic care, and—only when necessary—oral antibiotics.

The widespread use of injectable antibiotics suggests:

Severe over-medicalisation of routine illnesses
Risk of antibiotic resistance accelerating
Costly and unnecessary treatment for low-income households
Potential safety risks from unsafe injection practices

There is dire need for better provider training, public awareness, and stricter antibiotic stewardship—especially as Pakistan already struggles with high antimicrobial resistance (AMR) rates.

With many pharma firms involved in deceptive marketing as well as paying health professionals to sell their product , this is no surprise.