THE CONTEXT OF ANTIBIOTIC USE IN BROILER POULTRY FARMS IN BANGLADESH: A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious concern globally for the increasing use of antibiotics in different sectors. In Bangladesh, antibiotics are used in commercial poultry production to treat diseases and as growth promoters. The poultry farmers use more antibiotics in broilers than other types of poultries. The study aimed to explore the context of antibiotic use in broiler poultry farming. In 2019, we conducted this qualitative study in Narsingdi, the largest broiler poultry farming district in Bangladesh. We conducted 38 in-depth interviews with farmers, veterinarians, feed marketing officers, and pharmaceutical representatives, 10 key-informant interviews with dealers, and 65 hours of observation in two farms and two dealer shops. All the respondents believed that antibiotic is a powerful medicine to treat poultry diseases and as growth promoters. The role of dealers like a creditor and farmers like debtors where farmers had to pay a high rate of interest for buying chicks, antibiotics containing feed, and antibiotics from dealers. Farmers used antibiotics containing feed and antibiotics ignoring the withdrawal period before selling. The pharmaceutical representatives played a key role in interpreting the meaning and use of antibiotics in poultry farming. They motivated veterinarians, dealers, and farmers to prescribe, dispense and use antibiotics through their innovative marketing system including providing incentives. The veterinarians prescribed antibiotics without proper diagnosis of sick poultry. Regular use of antibiotics contained feed and antibiotics increased the cost of poultry farming resulting in economic loss for farmers. This study revealed the complex social realities of antibiotic transactions where antibiotic is considered powerful medicine and financial interest among stakeholders increased antibiotic use and AMR. The study findings would be helpful to develop effective policies and interventions on the antibiotic transaction to rational antibiotic use in broiler production to reduce AMR in Bangladesh.