This article focuses on the challenges contributing to increased pathogen resistance to antimicrobial drugs in Guyana, with a particular emphasis on the private market for such drugs in selected mining and frontier regions. The investigation of this issue involved an extensive survey of both authorized and unauthorized private sector suppliers, encompassing everything from official pharmacies to informal outlets like street sellers and grocery shops in the studied towns.
This exploration included interviews with both sellers and customers. Sellers provided insights on available medications, their expiration dates, pricing structures, and principal manufacturers. In contrast, customer interviews concentrated on recently bought drugs, prior diagnoses, prescriptions given, and plans to finish the prescribed treatment.
From the supply side spectrum, one evident challenge is the inconsistent low availability of essential drugs, along with prescriptions often not aligning with original diagnoses. Conversely, from a demand perspective, disturbing data revealed that one-third of bought antibiotics had an elevated potential for fostering antimicrobial resistance, according to the World Health Organization’s AWaRe classification. Factors like high prices negatively impacted customers’ self-reported commitments to see their treatments through, particularly if they had received a prescription. However, purchasing the medication at a licensed pharmacy noticeably increased this commitment.
These findings highlight a critical necessity in Guyana to review and implement comprehensive policies addressing both supply and demand issues. Essential strategies should include limiting antimicrobial sales to licensed pharmacies, mandating prescription issuance, refining prescription practices, decreasing the financial hardships experienced by patients, assuring access to primary treatment drugs, and educating patients about suitable antimicrobial use. Such policy revisions are a crucial component to effectively addressing and eventually containing the troubling rise of antimicrobial resistance in the regions studied, as well as throughout the rest of Guyana.