KOCHI, Sept 13: Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) has emerged as a major crisis in the Indian healthcare system, severely hampering the treatment of infectious diseases and leading to higher mortality, longer hospital stays, and escalating healthcare costs, according to experts.
Speaking at a Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme on “War Against Antibiotic Resistance” organised by the Government Medical College, Ernakulam, noted epidemiologist Dr Naresh Purohit warned that the rise of AMR could mark a return to the pre-antibiotic era when common infections and minor surgeries once again became life-threatening.
“India, with its dense population, significant disease burden, and diverse healthcare practices, stands at a critical juncture in the global battle against AMR. The implications are far-reaching, threatening decades of medical progress, undermining healthcare delivery, and obstructing the realisation of several Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.
Dr Purohit, Executive Member of the Federation of Hospital Administrators and Advisor to the National Communicable Disease Control Programme, pointed out that India tops the world in antibiotic consumption and bears the highest burden of antimicrobial resistance.
“Indiscriminate and unregulated use of antibiotics has created a public health menace. AMR is projected to cause millions of deaths worldwide by 2050, with India contributing heavily to the global toll,” he observed.
He further noted that hospitals are increasingly becoming breeding grounds for drug-resistant bacteria, with some strains showing resistance to more than 70 per cent of the strongest antibiotics.
“When these superbugs strike, patients require longer and costlier treatment with higher risks of death. Families are pushed into debt and hospitals are stretched to the limit,” he cautioned.
Dr Purohit also highlighted that the absence of a public database on AMR-related deaths, coupled with the unchecked availability of fake and substandard medicines, has compounded the crisis.
“Poorly treated waste from drug factories and hospitals releases resistant bacteria into water and soil. These germs return to our food and environment, creating a vicious cycle,” he explained.
Calling for urgent measures, he urged doctors to avoid unnecessary prescriptions and strictly follow antibiotic guidelines. He emphasised the need for improved sanitation, access to clean water, greater public health investment, and stricter regulation of the private health sector.
Experts at the CME underlined the importance of raising public awareness on the rational use of antibiotics and urged healthcare providers to adhere to national and international protocols regarding dosage and duration to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. (UNI)
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