DR. M ULUM.

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Rational Use of Antibiotik for
Childhood Pneumonia
Introduction Discussion
Optimal child pneumonia management presents an
Pneumonia is the greatest killer of infants and children (age <5
opportunity to reduce excessive. Encouraging the
years) outside the neonatal period, with the largest burden of rational use of antibiotics requires education of
disease in low- and middle-income countries. Optimal healthcare professionals, facilitation of cultural change,
management of childhood pneumonia is challenging in settings improved clinical guidance and the establishment of
where clinicians have limited information regarding the local functional microbiology laboratories to monitor disease
pathogen and drug resistance profiles. This frequently results in etiology and drug resistance patterns, together with the
unnecessary and poorly targeted antibiotic use. Restricting removal of inappropriate incentives and effective
enforcement of national regulations to restrict antibiotic
antibiotic use is a global priority, particularly in Asia and the use in healthcare and agriculture(1). Doctors working in
Western Pacific Region where excessive use is driving high rates all capacities need to be made aware of the standard
of antimicrobial resistance(1). The World Health Organization treatment protocols for pneumonia.(2) The results of data
(WHO) developed a pneumonia case management strategy which suggest that the use of injectable antibiotics was high in
included the use of antibiotics for both primary and hospital- the private hospital which did not follow the WHO
based care 2. Early diagnosis and appropriate case management by standard treatment guidelines. The observation
emphasizes the importance of adherence to high-quality
rational use of antibiotics remains one of the most effective
evidence based on recent WHO classification and
intervention to reduce pneumonia-related mortality(3). treatment in accordance with the severity of pneumonia
and consequently may prevent increased antimicrobial
resistance.(3)
Keyword
antibiotic use, children, pediatrics, pneumonia, WHO guidelines,
infection Reference
1. Arora, Narendera K. “Rational use of antibiotics for pneumonia.” Indian pediatrics 47, no. 1 (2010): 11–18.
2. Phuong, Nguyen T. K., Tran T. Hoang, Pham H. Van, Lolyta Tu, Stephen M. Graham, dan Ben J. Marais. “Encouraging Rational Antibiotic Use in Childhood
Pneumonia: A Focus on Vietnam and the Western Pacific Region.” Pneumonia 9, no. 1 (Desember 2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41479-017-0031-4.
3. Rashid, Md. Mahbubur, Mohammod Jobayer Chisti, Dilruba Akter, Malabika Sarker, dan Fahmida Chowdhury. “Antibiotic Use for Pneumonia among Children Under-
Five at a Pediatric Hospital in Dhaka City, Bangladesh.” Patient Preference and Adherence Volume 11 (Agustus 2017): 1335–42. https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S140002.