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Cytotec accounts for 10% of maternal deaths

Jul 05, 2009 News

The use of Cytotec accounts for approximately 10 per cent of maternal deaths in Guyana.

According to Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy; the use of this drug has led to serious illnesses and disabilities in women who have resorted to its use for the termination of pregnancy.

Addressing the Advisory Board on the Medical Termination of Pregnancy yesterday, Minister Ramsammy explained that while this medicine is a very useful one when used by doctors for the purpose of medical termination of pregnancy, it is a dangerous medicine when used unsupervised.

Dr Ramsammy cited the practice of pharmacists and pharmacies dispensing other drugs to persons without prescription and that this practice is contributing to the growing substance abuse problem in Guyana.

He referred to the dependency on a number of prescription drugs in use in Guyana. In particular, he made reference to Valium, barbiturates, Viagra, Cialis, Codeine, Oxycodone (Oxycontin), demoral, lomotil, various “sleeping” pills and pain killers. Importation of these medicines has increased significantly and this is not related only to the expansion of medical services in the country.

Minister Ramsammy is warning pharmacists and pharmacies that when persons report to hospitals with a problem from overuse of these medications, the police would be called in to investigate the source of the drugs.

 The Minister cited the case of Michael Jackson as a wakeup call to Guyanese, warning that the abuse of prescription drugs is no less harmful than the abuse of illicit substances such as cocaine, heroin and marijuana.

The Health Minister had previously cautioned pharmacists about dispensing drugs without prescription. He referred to the practice as causing the invisible epidemic.

The practice of pharmacists and pharmacies dispensing drugs without prescription is not a new one in Guyana, but in spite of many warnings, it persists.

The Minister of Health has warned that this practice has serious implications for the health of the population. One of the serious consequences of the dispensing of prescription medicines without a doctor’s prescription is a growing dependency on these medicines.

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