Combating Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): Centre Urges Action

India has pledged renewed efforts to address the global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

India has reiterated its commitment to fighting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) () during the 79th UN General Assembly (UNGA) high-level meeting on AMR, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Addressing the gathering of global leaders, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel called for urgently integrating AMR containment strategies in various health programmes. Patel also highlighted the urgent need for global cooperation to address the growing threat of AMR. “AMR poses a critical threat to global public health undermining decades of progress made in the field of modern medicine,” said Patel.

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): A Multifaceted Challenge
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) poses a global health threat, making infections harder to treat. Tackling this complex issue requires innovation, awareness, and collaboration.

‘#Antimicrobialresistance (#AMR) is a growing global health threat. Urgent action is needed to prevent infections and ensure life-saving treatments remain effective. #fightAMR #publichealth’

AMR: A Growing Threat to Global Health

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to medicines. This leads to infections becoming difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death. “Urgent integration of AMR containment strategies into the various health programmes” is the need of the hour, the MoS added.

She called for the inclusion of AMR strategies in programmes that focus “on pandemic preparedness, health system strengthening and universal health coverage with the focus of resource utilisation more on prevention and mitigation than surveillance”.

The Union Minister also highlighted India’s significant strides in combating AMR since the launch of its National Action Plan (NAP AMR) in April 2017. She underscored the progress made in expanding surveillance networks both in the human and animal sectors. This includes reducing hospital-acquired infections by improving infection prevention and control and promoting responsible antimicrobial use across human and animal health sectors.

Growing Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is turning treatable infections into life-threatening conditions, with global impacts on health and livelihoods.

Under the Clean India Mission, the country’s sanitation, hygiene, and infection control in healthcare facilities has significantly improved, the MoS said. In addition, “a nationwide systematic and standardised surveillance of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) has been initiated in the country,” Patel said, adding that regulations have been made to “ensure prescription-based sales of antimicrobials”.

The UNGA was informed that India has developed an Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) programme to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions and combat rising AMR. “India remains fully committed to addressing the AMR challenge,” Patel said while calling for collective work to “mitigate the risks posed by AMR and safeguard the future of public health worldwide”.

The Growing Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance is rising, threatening global health. Urgent action and awareness are needed to combat this growing crisis and protect public health.

Meanwhile, global leaders at the UNGA committed to a clear set of targets and actions, including reducing the estimated 4.95 million human deaths associated with bacterial AMR annually by 10 percent by 2030.

Reference:

Antimicrobial resistance - (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance)

Source-IANS

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