Syllabus
GS Paper 3 – Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.
Context
The surge in antimicrobial resistance serves as a stark reminder of the constraints within our current medical toolkit and holds the potential to undo a century of advancements in healthcare.
What is Antimicrobial Resistance?
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a phenomenon where the disease-causing microbes, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, gradually become resistant to medications that were once successful in treating the illnesses they they cause.
Superbugs are strains of bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi that are resistant to most of the antibiotics and other medications commonly used to treat the infections they cause.
What Causes AMR?
- The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials.
- Lack of access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene for both humans and animals.
- Poor infection prevention and disease control in health-care facilities and farms.
- Poor access to quality, affordable medicines, vaccines and diagnostics.
- Lack of awareness and knowledge.
- Lack of enforcement of legislation.
Health Concerns Raised by AMR
- It makes infections harder to treat
- Increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.
- It threatens the success of modern medicine in treating infections, including during major surgery and cancer chemotherapy
The Case of India’s Antimicrobial Resistance:
- India, home to one in every six people on the planet, has one of the highest rates of AMR in the world.
- Bacteria that cause common infections, such as urinary tract and bloodstream infections, are becoming resistant to nearly all antibiotics.
- Antibiotic-resistant neonatal infections alone are responsible for the deaths of nearly 60,000 newborns each year.
- The emergence of a multidrug-resistant pathogen which attacks the lungs of patients in critical care is worrying doctors.
- The country has reached a “certain tipping point” where antimicrobial resistance is rampant, so Indian doctors prescribe last line antibiotics to everyone and this in turn makes resistance even worse.
Contributing Factors of India’s AMR:
- High Burden of Communicable Diseases: India has a high burden of communicable diseases, which increases the use of antimicrobials and, consequently, the development of resistance.
- Overburdened Public Health System: The public health system in India is overburdened, which can lead to inadequate infection control and prevention measures.
- Limited Laboratory Capacity: There is limited laboratory capacity for root cause-based diagnosis and appropriately targeted treatment, leading to the misuse of antimicrobials.
- Easy Availability of Antibiotics: Antibiotics are inexpensive and widely available without prescriptions in India, leading to their overuse and misuse.
- Inconsistent Infection Prevention Control Practices contribute to the spread of resistant microbes.
- Lack of Standardized Surveillance Platforms: There is a lack of standardized effective surveillance platforms that monitor healthcare-associated infections (HAI), making it difficult to track and control the spread of AMR.
- Widespread Use of Antibiotics in Animals and Crops: Human health is affected when antibiotic-resistant bacteria are transmitted between people and animals through contact, food products, and the environment.
Steps taken by the Indian Government to address Antimicrobial Resistance:
- National Programme on AMR Containment (2012-17): Union Government of India initiated the National programme on AMR containment during the 12th Five-Year Plan from 2012 to 2017.
- National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR) – One Health Approach (2017): National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR) with a focus on the One Health approach was launched on April 19, 2017.
- Delhi Declaration on AMR – Inter-Ministerial Consensus: Delhi Declaration on AMR, representing an inter-ministerial consensus, was signed by ministers from relevant ministries, demonstrating their commitment to supporting AMR containment.
- ICMR’s AMR Surveillance and Research Network (AMRSN) (2013): Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) established the AMR Surveillance and Research Network (AMRSN) to generate evidence and monitor trends and patterns of drug-resistant infections in the country.
- ICMR Initiatives for New Drugs/Medicines – International Collaborations: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has undertaken initiatives to develop new drugs and medicines through international collaborations, aiming to strengthen medical research in the field of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
How to Address the Antimicrobial Resistance Issue?
- Focus on preventing infections in the initial stages.
- Enhancing Responsible Use of Antibiotics and Antifungals: Improve the use of antibiotics and antifungals to slow down the emergence of resistance.
- Swift Response to Unusual Genes and Germs: React promptly to uncommon genes and germs to halt the spread of resistance at its onset.
- Elevated Hygiene and Infection Control: Improve hygiene and implement infection control measures to prevent the dissemination of resistant bacteria.
- Development of Novel Antimicrobials: Work on creating new antimicrobials that bacteria have not developed resistance against.
- Conservation Efforts for Antimicrobial Effectiveness: Implement conservation strategies to sustain the efficacy of both new and existing antimicrobials.
- Optimized Antimicrobial Use in Human and Animal Health
- Infection Reduction Through Hygiene Measures: Reduce infections by implementing effective sanitation, hygiene, and other preventive measures.
- Sustainable Investment in Antimicrobial Development
Source: Indian Express
Practice Question
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) poses a significant threat to public health in India. Analyze the issues related to AMR, assess government initiatives, and propose additional measures to address this challenge. (Answer in 250 words)