India reaffirms commitment to combat antimicrobial resistance

India has reaffirmed its commitment to combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), as highlighted by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel at the UN General Assembly.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said that India is reaffirming its commitment to antimicrobial resistance and highlighted the urgent need for global collaboration to tackle the escalating threat of AMR during her address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on AMR.

Antimicrobial resistance is a silent pandemic that has become a global health crisis. Due to misuse and overuse of medicines, most people have gained resistance to them, making treatment for various diseases very difficult.

"India remains fully committed to addressing the AMR challenge through comprehensive efforts. By working together, we can mitigate the risks posed by AMR and safeguard public health worldwide," she said.

In her remarks, Patel stressed that AMR is a critical global public health threat, undermining decades of progress in modern medicine.

She called for urgent integration of AMR containment strategies into global health programs, including pandemic preparedness, health system strengthening, and universal health coverage. She advocated for prioritising prevention and mitigation over surveillance alone.

She revealed that India has made significant strides in combating AMR since the launch of its National Action Plan (NAP AMR) in April 2017 and highlighted progress in expanding surveillance networks in both the human and animal sectors, reducing hospital-acquired infections, and promoting responsible antimicrobial use.

Additionally, India has initiated a standardised surveillance system for healthcare-associated infections (HAI) and implemented regulations for prescription-based antimicrobial sales to ensure judicious use of antibiotics.

India has developed an Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) Program aimed at reducing unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions, which is being adopted by hospitals across the country. This program is tailored for resource-limited settings and is part of India's efforts to combat rising AMR.

"Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) has been strengthened through nationwide healthcare worker training, and hygiene in healthcare facilities has improved under the Clean India Mission," she said.

The updated NAP-AMR 2.0 focuses on inter-sectoral collaboration, with budgeted action plans for various sectors and clear monitoring mechanisms.

The "One Health" framework, which coordinates efforts across human, animal, and environmental sectors, is being utilised to tackle AMR more effectively.