Role of Pharmacists to Combat Antibiotic Resistance in Developing Countries

Antibiotic resistance is increasingly recognized as a “new war” for global health, particularly in developing countries where health systems face high infectious disease burden, limited access to physicians, and widespread non-prescription medicine use. With a limited number of effective antibiotics available and comparatively slow discovery of new agents, irrational antibiotic consumption—especially unnecessary use, incomplete courses, incorrect dosing, and use for viral illnesses—creates strong selection pressure for resistant microorganisms. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a top global public health and development threat and emphasizes that misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in human health, animals, and agriculture are key drivers. (World Health Organization) Community pharmacists occupy a crucial position in developing countries as the first point of contact and the most accessible healthcare professionals for many populations. This paper examines the role and responsibility of pharmacists in combating antibiotic resistance by addressing over-the-counter (OTC) antibiotic sales, improving patient education, discouraging antibiotic use for viral infections, supporting appropriate referral pathways, and collaborating with clinicians and health systems to establish unified stewardship frameworks. Using a narrative review and systems-oriented analysis, this article proposes a feasible intervention roadmap: (i) pharmacy-led patient education and expectation management, (ii) dispensing accountability and prescription verification, (iii) symptom-based triage with safe referral, (iv) digital adherence and start/stop reminders, and (v) integrated collaboration between pharmacists and healthcare providers to standardize guideline-based antibiotic use. Strengthening pharmacist training, infrastructure, and recognition is argued to be essential for sustainable AMR control.