“Making One’s Own Doctor” :“ Épicerie medicine ” and the Informal Circulation of Antibiotics in Northern Madagascar

People in Madagascar often resort to small grocery kiosks (épicerie) for various Western medicines including antibiotics - they call the practice "magnano docteur tegna" ("making one's own doctor"). Creating an unregulated antibiotic market, the practice is detrimental to the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This article explores the informal circulation of antibiotics in northern Madagascar and the local patterns of antibiotic use. I argue that the lack of healthcare coverage is the key reason for improvised health solutions. There is a discrepancy between the long-term threat of AMR and the most urgent need of people living in precarity.