{"id":16980,"date":"2025-02-22T13:17:11","date_gmt":"2025-02-22T11:17:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/?p=16980"},"modified":"2026-10-07T09:47:23","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T07:47:23","slug":"antibiotic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/antibiotic\/","title":{"rendered":"A Fatal Injection: How Antibiotic Misuse Puts Egyptians at Risk"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every winter, reports of deaths following antibiotic injections revive concern in Egypt. People commonly seek these injections for cold-like symptoms without a doctor\u2019s examination, relying instead on a pharmacy. Since 2022, accounts involving patients of different ages have raised questions about unsafe administration, allergic reactions and allegations of poor-quality or falsified products.<\/p>\n

Antibiotics treat bacterial infections; they do not treat the viruses responsible for ordinary colds or influenza. Several distinct risks are involved here: a severe adverse reaction to a medicine, a defective or falsified product, and bacterial resistance that makes treatment ineffective. These should not be conflated.<\/p>\n

Research cited in the original article<\/a> projected more than 39 million deaths attributable to bacterial antimicrobial resistance worldwide between 2025 and 2050. The research team\u2019s account<\/a> concerns resistant infections, not deaths directly caused by receiving antibiotic injections.<\/p>\n

Egypt\u2019s Health Ministry and Drug Authority have repeatedly warned against indiscriminate antibiotic use<\/a>. Nonetheless, these medicines remain popular amid rising prices, shortages and difficulty obtaining treatment at hospitals, which can drive patients towards cheaper, readily available options.<\/p>\n

Reported IQVIA market data<\/a> show spending of more than EGP 2.5 billion on just three antibiotics between September 2022 and September 2023. That represented approximately 2% of total medicine sales, which exceeded EGP 142 billion during the same period.<\/p>\n

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Sales of three leading antibiotics in Egypt<\/h3>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Product<\/th>\nManufacturer cited in the report<\/th>\nSales<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Augmentin<\/td>\nGSK<\/td>\nEGP 1.1 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hibiotic<\/td>\nAmoun Pharma, owned by ADQ<\/td>\nEGP 888.9 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cefotax<\/td>\nEIPICO, associated with ACDIMA<\/td>\nEGP 561.5 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>
September 2022\u2013September 2023. Source: reported IQVIA market data. Combined sales were approximately EGP 2.55 billion, about 1.8% of the EGP 142 billion total medicine market.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dr Hossam Hosny, chair of Egypt\u2019s scientific committee for combating coronavirus, said in a television interview<\/a> that Egyptians had consumed around 216 million antibiotic packages in nine months. He called for specialist medical supervision and appropriate examinations, warning that indiscriminate use encourages bacterial resistance.<\/p>\n

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The recurring crisis<\/h2>\n

In January 2025, a woman in her thirties from El Bagour, Menoufia, reportedly died after an antibiotic injection<\/a> given for cold symptoms in a pharmacy. Reports attributed the death to a severe allergic reaction. She left three children.<\/p>\n

In August 2024, a five-year-old child reportedly died<\/a> after receiving an intravenous antibiotic in a private hospital. Such incidents have repeatedly prompted public alarm, particularly during winter illness outbreaks.<\/p>\n

Public concern intensified in 2022. Television presenter Lamees El Hadidi cited a figure of 70,000 annual deaths<\/a> in Egypt in discussing the issue. The original investigation did not supply an official mortality series establishing that figure, or distinguish adverse drug reactions from deaths associated with resistant infections. It should therefore not be treated as a verified count of deaths caused by antibiotic injections.<\/p>\n

The Health Ministry warned against taking antibiotics without a doctor\u2019s prescription<\/a>, emphasising that overuse reduces their effectiveness against bacteria and that patients should not rely on recommendations from others.<\/p>\n

The deaths of two girls in Alexandria in October 2022<\/a> after injections at a pharmacy brought further scrutiny. Reporting described an acute allergic reaction and the absence of prior allergy assessment. Claims circulated later in 2022 that 11 children had died because of falsified antibiotic injections; the original investigation noted that those claims were subsequently officially denied<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Following the Menoufia death, the ministry again highlighted misuse<\/a> and the need for medical supervision. The EDA also issued warnings about product quality, including a notice concerning a non-compliant antibiotic product<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Separately, restrictions reported in July 2024<\/a> limited the supply of injectable antibiotics in the \u201cReserve\u201d group to licensed medical facilities rather than public retail pharmacies. The rule concerns this specific group, not every antibiotic injection.<\/p>\n

The EDA\u2019s 2024 regulatory guide<\/a> limits storage and distribution of injectable Reserve products to warehouses certified for Good Storage and Distribution Practices and supply to licensed medical facilities, including hospitals. Supply to public pharmacies is prohibited.<\/p>\n

Ahmed Abu Douma, a member of the Pharmacists Syndicate council, tells Zawia3 that injectable antibiotics require strict medical oversight and should never be used without a doctor\u2019s direct recommendation. Misuse can increase bacterial resistance and make future infections harder to treat.<\/p>\n

He says some antibiotics require allergy assessment before treatment because a severe reaction can cause life-threatening complications. The relevant assessment depends on the medicine and the patient\u2019s history. CDC guidance on reported penicillin allergy<\/a>, for example, describes a structured clinical evaluation. A casual test in a pharmacy should not be presented as a universal guarantee that an injection is safe.<\/p>\n

\n

Abu Douma says many patients request antibiotics directly from pharmacists without consulting a doctor, and some seek injections for a range of illnesses. He considers this medically unacceptable and unsafe.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Asked about falsified medicines, he says the problem is international rather than unique to Egypt. In his assessment, Egyptian rates are relatively low compared with some countries, but substantial work is still needed to safeguard products on the market.<\/p>\n

He urges people to buy only from licensed pharmacies and avoid unidentified online sellers, social-media pages and WhatsApp groups. He describes these informal channels as major routes for products that may contain harmful ingredients or ineffective substances.<\/p>\n

Regulators, including the EDA, must act against websites and applications promoting falsified or unlicensed medicines, he says. He also calls for tougher penalties for illegal sellers and stronger public awareness of the risks.<\/p>\n

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MPs demand action<\/h2>\n

Several MPs have sought urgent action from the Health Ministry and other authorities to prevent unsafe antibiotic practices. Samar Saleh, a member of parliament\u2019s Health Committee, said in a television interview<\/a> that she had submitted an information request about overuse and its role in resistance.<\/p>\n

Saleh called for pharmacies to educate patients, strict compliance with prescriptions and stronger primary healthcare, particularly in remote areas, to improve basic services and reduce pressure on hospitals. She also stressed the importance of comprehensive health insurance.<\/p>\n

Samira El Gazzar, a member of the Planning and Budget Committee, tells Zawia3 that the spread of injections linked to deaths is a crisis that developed in full view of the Health Ministry. She says she submitted a parliamentary request in November 2024 concerning so-called \u201ccold injections.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese injections, known as the \u2018magic mixture,\u2019 are given in many pharmacies, particularly in working-class areas, without ministry oversight,\u201d she says. She warns that mixtures may contain corticosteroids, whose excessive use can impair immunity and pose particular risks for people with diabetes or hypertension.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThe antibiotic in these injections does not treat viral colds. Its effectiveness is limited to bacterial infections.\u201d \u2014 MP Samira El Gazzar<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

El Gazzar says she asked the health minister to investigate the incidents, identify who manufactures the injections and explain how they reach patients. She maintains that the ministry prohibits injections being administered inside pharmacies regardless of type.<\/p>\n

After the Menoufia woman\u2019s death, she says, the ministry issued another warning, but she considers the response belated. In her view, warnings after fatalities demonstrate inadequate action during the preceding months.<\/p>\n

Antibiotics remain essential<\/a> for treating bacterial infections and preventing serious complications. Resistance develops when bacteria can survive medicines that would otherwise kill them or stop their growth. It is the bacteria, rather than the patient\u2019s body, that become resistant.<\/p>\n

The World Health Organization<\/a> identifies misuse and overuse of antimicrobials as major drivers of resistance. Patients, clinicians and hospitals all have roles in preserving effective treatment through appropriate prescribing and use.<\/p>\n

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Additional costs for patients<\/h2>\n

Mahmoud Fouad, executive director of the Egyptian Center for the Right to Medicine, raises concerns about injectable products he alleges were contaminated and associated with deaths or injuries. His centre recorded 13 cases in 2022, 56 in 2023 and three in January 2025, he says. These are the centre\u2019s reported case counts, not verified national mortality totals.<\/p>\n

Fouad describes a gap in how injections reach patients. He says pharmacists\u2019 role is to dispense medicines, while injections should be administered in hospitals or doctors\u2019 clinics. Public hospitals may refuse to administer medicines bought elsewhere, leaving patients to pay additional costs for care.<\/p>\n

People who need daily injections may spend around EGP 20 a day on transport alone, he says, creating a continuing burden during a prolonged course of treatment.<\/p>\n

Fouad also criticises injections being given without appropriate allergy assessment or in places unprepared to manage emergencies. Pharmacies lack the equipment needed to respond to serious complications, he argues.<\/p>\n

He suggests that some incidents could relate to the quality of raw materials used in manufacturing, alleging that low-cost, impure materials circulate in the market. This is his proposed explanation, rather than a causal finding established through laboratory testing in this investigation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy have the Health Ministry and the EDA not issued an official statement clarifying the position? What should a patient do when the necessary injection is unavailable? Why are the responsible authorities not acting to control the market and protect patients?\u201d he asks.<\/p>\n

Fouad attributes the circulation of falsified medicines to weak oversight. He says a 2018 decision to withdraw products valued at EGP 550 million was not fully implemented because of the influence of large companies.<\/p>\n

He also alleges that some pharmacies are managed by unqualified people and sell products that do not meet specifications. In his view, deficiencies in tracing medicines and monitoring their origins make quality control difficult, with consequences for both public health and confidence in Egypt\u2019s pharmaceutical sector.<\/p>\n

\"Illustration
Illustration depicting the risks of unsafe injections.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The recurring crisis combines inappropriate antibiotic use, gaps in awareness, unsafe administration and concerns about medicine quality. Official warnings and restrictions on particular products will matter only if they are enforced. During winter illness outbreaks, affordable access to qualified care, effective oversight and public understanding that antibiotics do not treat viral colds are essential to protecting patients.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Deaths reported after injections, unsafe pharmacy practices and indiscriminate antibiotic use have renewed alarm. Patients and MPs call for stronger oversight and access to properly supervised care.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":11888,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[410,413],"tags":[],"kateb":[6247],"class_list":["post-16980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-investigations-en","category-society-en","kateb-rasha-ammar"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/\u0627\u0644\u0644\u063a\u0629-\u0627\u0644\u0625\u0646\u062c\u0644\u064a\u0632\u064a\u0629-3.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16980"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16980\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16981,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16980\/revisions\/16981"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11888"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16980"},{"taxonomy":"kateb","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zawia3.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kateb?post=16980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}