Nearly 5 million human deaths annually from bacterial infections alone, and that underscores the urgency of addressing this crisis.
Published Nov 28, 2023 | 1:00 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 28, 2023 | 1:00 PM
Antimicrobial Resistance. (iStock)
There is an “insidious” rise in Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in the world and the same poses a huge threat to global health, according to the Amrita School of Biotechnology in the Kollam district of Kerala, which recently held an event to create awareness about the issue.
The institute held last week an International Colloquium on Antimicrobial Resistance known as the Amrita Legion of Antimicrobial Resistance Management (ALARM) 2023.
The event was held during the World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week and was observed from 18-24 November, a release issued by the institute said.
ALARM 2023 provided a dynamic platform transcending traditional conference settings, it said.
“Multidisciplinary panels engaged experts from various fields, fostering in-depth discussions on the social, economic, and health implications of AMR.
“Specialised policy roundtables offered a space for policymakers to share strategies, integrating AMR considerations into broader health and economic policies.” the release said.
It also said that there were nearly 5 million human deaths annually from bacterial infections alone, and that underscored the urgency of addressing this crisis.
“Insufficient investments in research and development for new antimicrobials have prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to designate AMR as one of the top 10 global public health threats,” it said.
Dr Krishna Kumar, Head of Paediatric Cardiology at Amrita Hospital in Kochi, emphasised that India and South Asia contribute to about 30 percent of the five million cases, it said.
“The vicious cycle of infection, antibiotic use, and resistance is aggravated by the lack of interest from the pharmaceutical industry in developing new antibiotics,” he is quoted as having said in the release.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) reported close to 100,000 culture-positive isolates of resistant organisms in 2021 alone, highlighting the enormity of the problem within the country, it said.
The institute also said that the WHO has outlined a global action plan to address AMR, focusing on improving awareness, strengthening research and surveillance, reducing infection incidence, optimizing antimicrobial use, and exploring novel approaches.
The institute further said that understanding, prevention, and responsible use of antibiotics were essential in preserving the effectiveness of these life-saving medications.
(Disclaimer: The headline, subheads, and intro of this report along with the photos may have been reworked by South First. The rest of the content is from a syndicated feed, and has been edited for style.)
