Good morning! Montenegro ranks among the top countries in the world for antibiotic use. Research shows that more than half of citizens use antibiotics each year, and a third of them do so without a doctor’s prescription or supervision. The most common reasons for taking antibiotics in Montenegro are colds, sore throats, coughs, and COVID-19, while only half of the population is aware that antibiotics are not effective against viral infections.
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Self-Medication, The Dearest Illness
In Montenegro, I’ve had the fortune—or misfortune—of spending a lot of time with foreigners. What I found most interesting was hearing their perceptions of Montenegrins—what stereotypes they arrived with, and which ones they developed through experience. One of the most frequent and fascinating impressions they form is related to Montenegrins’ attitude toward health. Preventive medicine, to Montenegrins, is a foreign concept. Many foreigners notice that at the age when people in other countries start visiting doctors more regularly, Montenegrins start thinking about their burial plots. I believe that health-related anxiety—or hypochondria—is our national illness. From what I’ve observed, there are two main ways people deal with this issue. Some refuse to go to the doctor “in case they find something,” while others choose to treat themselves. Sometimes with herbs and balms, and other times through self-medication using prescription drugs.
Behind all of this lies deep ignorance, but also a lack of trust in doctors. Given the state of our healthcare system, where all the good professionals have left, and considering the way many doctors treat patients, it’s no surprise. Empathy isn’t exactly our strong suit. And then there’s the state of our hospitals. But at least everything is free—if you ever make it to the front of the line.
People spend more time, energy, and health in waiting rooms than they do fighting their actual illness.
There are many cultural and social reasons for our attitude toward health. But economic inequality and the politicisation of healthcare are among the biggest. If we paid for healthcare the way they do in the West, we’d learn to value our health—and we’d also learn to demand good service in return.
Our approach to health is like our approach to many things: we wait until the house is on fire before calling the firefighters. We don’t bother with prevention because it seems unnecessary—until illness reminds us just how costly and long-lasting neglect can be.
Antibiotics are like magic our ancestors dreamed of. Instead of listening to doctors, we “know ourselves” what’s wrong and how to fix it. While other countries are seriously fighting antibiotic resistance, we’ve turned it into a national sport. In doing so, we not only harm ourselves but also contribute to a global issue that could trigger a new pandemic and create new superbugs.
However, we’re not beyond saving. Just like we learned to use smartphones and artificial intelligence, we can learn to take better care of ourselves. We need a system that encourages prevention, health education, and responsibility—but also a healthcare system we can trust. Until we check all these boxes, no Ursula von der Leyen or the European Union can help us.
That’s all for today. Ww wish you a pleasant rest of the day.
Kind regards,
Ljubomir Filipovic, CdM analyst and columnist
(Columnists’ views and opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the CdM editorial staff)
