Analysis of Antibiotic Utilization at Son Tra District Health Center in 2024
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a global challenge, particularly severe in developing countries due to antibiotic overuse and irrational use. Vietnam has implemented a national action plan to combat AMR, focusing on hospital antibiotic surveillance. This effort aims to optimize treatment outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and improve the quality of care. However, at Son Tra District Health Center – a level II healthcare facility (before administrative merger) in Da Nang – no specific assessment has been conducted per Ministry of Health (MoH) criteria, despite the antibiotic consumption rate reaching 29.18% in 2024. The objective was to analyze the structure and level of antibiotic consumption at this center in 2024 according to the criteria of the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization
(WHO). A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using retrospective data from the hospital management software, including the list of pharmaceuticals and antibiotic consumption; data were processed and analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Results showed a total of 83 antibiotic items accounted for 29.18% of the total drug expenditure. The beta-lactam group represented 94.31% of antibiotic use, and domestic drugs accounted for 91.81%. The Defined Daily Dose per 100 bed-days (DDD/100 bed-days) was 190.1 (inpatients: 7.83%; outpatients: 2.04%). ABC/VEN analysis indicated that management efforts were concentrated on essential and vital medicines. Antibiotic use at the primary healthcare level was found to be rational, cost-effective, and safe, consistent with the local disease pattern. The results
provide practical evidence to maintain the prioritization of domestic pharmaceuticals, strengthen control over beta-lactam antibiotic use, and expand periodic DDD-based surveillance. These actions contribute to the effective implementation of the National Action Plan on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance (issued under Decision No. 3465/QD-BYT).
