Antibiotics abuse: Saving money at the expense of one’s health

Many cash-strapped Filipinos tend not to finish their dosage of antibiotics in order to save money. Little did they know that this practice will cost them bigger expenses later when their disease or infection becomes resistant to antibiotics.

“Sasabihin ng doktor one week ang antibiotic pero hindi ko na kinukumpleto dahil mahal. Minsan, five days lang, kasi iniisip ko branded, hindi naman generic ang antibiotic na nabili ko kaya okay na siguro iyon (The doctor says the antibiotic must be taken for a week but I don’t follow the doctor’s advice because it’s expensive. Sometimes, I just take it for five days since I buy branded medicines and not generic, so I think, it’s okay),” Tess Reyes, 44, told Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview.

Being a single mother with two children, Reyes often looks for ways to keep her daily expenses minimal so she can send her children to school.