Health Minister Recep Akdağ said Thursday that a new test will be provided to family doctors, ear, nose and throat specialists and emergency service doctors that detect beta germs in five minutes to help reduce antibiotics use.

Akdağ introduced the ministry's new initiative to curb the use of antibiotics in the launching meeting of the test in Ankara. Underlining that antibiotics are –for the most part- unnecessarily used in Turkey, Akdağ said: "Due to the unnecessary use of antibiotics, we are among the worst OECD countries in terms of antimicrobial resistance."

The health minister said that citizens should use antibiotics only by consulting their doctors and should not force their doctors to prescribe antibiotics.

Akdağ said that one-thirds of patients that apply to health clinics in Turkey use antibiotics, whereas the normal rate for that should be one in about six prescriptions.

"There will be trainings for doctors on the quick beta test that detects bacteria in five minutes," Akdağ said, adding that a campaign on the prevention of unnecessary antibiotics use including television spots, banners and flyers will be launched as of today.