Leading critical care experts such as Dr. Bharat Jagiasi, Dr. Pradip Bhattacharya, Dr Srinivas Samavedam, Dr. Pradeep Rangappa, Dr. Rajesh Pande, Dr Sachin Gupta, Dr. Bhuvana krishna, Dr.Kartik Rao emphasized on the need for strengthening fight against AMR and adopting holistic approach of ‘One Health’ for improving antimicrobial stewardship.
To effectively address AMR, adoption of a multifaceted approach is crucial. This includes implementation of surveillance and tracking systems, antibiotic stewardship, and infection prevention and control measures. Addressing the media, Dr Bharat Jagiasi, General Secretary of ISCCM said “The resistance to antibiotics is leading to longer hospital stays, longer treatment and mortality. There is a need to aggressively strengthen the fight against AMR and adopt One Health stewardship practices to tackle the global AMR challenge.
Sharing the factors leading to AMR, Prof. Dr Pradip Bhattacharya, President, ISCCM stated, "The One Health concept highlights the critical need to control antibiotic consumption. Data suggests that 1.2 million deaths in India are due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), with an estimated 10 million deaths by 2050. The medical fraternity must exercise caution in prescribing antibiotics to avoid unnecessary risks and should adopt a judicious approach through stewardship programs." Excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics is a key factor fueling the emergence of resistant bacteria, complicating the treatment of common infections and heightening the likelihood of severe outcomes and death. Apart from this, limited awareness among general public and patients about AMR hinder effective prevention measures.”