New Delhi: World Health Day, a day dedicated to global health awareness, reminds us of our well-being. This year’s theme, ‘Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Future,’ resonates deeply, especially when we consider the looming threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), a silent pandemic that is a threat to our hopeful future. On World Health Day, Dettol Banega Swasth India spoke to various experts to discuss the critical issue of AMR. They not only shed light on its complexities, but also highlighted solutions to combat the silent pandemic.
WHAT IS ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (AMR) ?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites stop responding to antimicrobial medicines. As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective and infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, disability and death.
Nearly 4.95 million deaths were associated with bacterial AMR, including 1.27 million deaths attributable to bacterial AMR, according to a Lancet Journal (2019). India alone accounted for 297,000 deaths. The country has one of the highest rates of antimicrobial resistance in humans and food animals, with resistant organisms found in water bodies.
India, referred to as the ‘AMR capital of the world’, has the highest burden of bacterial infections. Major causes behind this is the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, weak retail regulations, poor sanitation and hygiene facilities, etc.
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AMR – A CAUSE OF CONCERN
Padma Shri Dr. Indira Chakravarty, public health specialist, highlighted that AMR is a cause of concern as its impacts are not limited to human beings, but plants, and animals. She said it also hinders disease control for everyday illnesses and critical diseases.
She highlighted,
AMR makes it harder to treat everyday illnesses like ear infections or pneumonia. It also makes critical diseases like Tuberculosis (TB), HIV, and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) much more dangerous. Even life-saving procedures are threatened by AMR’s growing resistance. Many surgeries, like organ transplants or even simple operations, rely on antibiotics to prevent infections. If antibiotics don’t work, these procedures become much riskier.
Dr. Narendra Saini from the Indian Medical Association, explained how microbes develop resistance. He also emphasised the irrational use of antimicrobials in humans, crops, and the environment, stressing the need for antibiotics’ judicious use.
The expert said,
Microbes are very small and if you give them medicines, they develop resistance towards antimicrobials (AM). Today there is irrational use of antimicrobials. Its judicious use is very important. The quantity and frequency have to be monitored while taking any antimicrobial. The AMs are being used in crops which we are consuming. It may become a third pandemic.
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IMPACT OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE ON NEONATAL HEALTH
The impact of AMR on neonatal health is particularly alarming, highlighted Padma Bhushan Dr Neelam Kler, a neonatologist at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
She said,
Neonatal sepsis, a bacterial infection, contributes to nearly 20 per cent of newborn morbidity, resulting in approximately 60,000 newborn deaths annually, and this happens due to AMR infections. There are financial and long-term burdens added to it, with treatment costs doubling for AMR infections. An Indian study revealed a stark difference of 4.8 lakh for AMR infections versus 1.8 lakh for non-resistant ones.
HOW CAN WE PREVENT AMR?
Preventing AMR requires a multifaceted approach, Dr. Saini said. He stressed the importance of hygiene education starting at home, with parents teaching children about cleanliness and emphasising handwashing. The expert also highlighted the role of healthcare providers and suggested implementing antibiotic stewardship programs in hospitals, utilising quality diagnostic labs, and counseling patients about antimicrobial use.
Ravi Bhatnagar, Director of External Affairs & Partnerships at Reckitt, underscored the importance of hand hygiene as a preventive measure against AMR. He said,
The subject of AMR is of significant importance to the country. Our ten years of partnership with NDTV has given huge results, in terms of increasing the knowledge, change in the attitude and behavioural practice among school kids and adults. It is one of the important times that we integrate the communication and energies of AMR.
Bhatnagar highlighted Dettol Banega Swasth India’s commitment to raise awareness about AMR. He said,
Dettol Banega Swasth India is committed to integrating AMR awareness into our existing hygiene programs. We understand the importance of educating from a young age, so we’re developing child-friendly resources, conducting behavioral research, and will look into using local languages to spread the message. Ultimately, we must emphasise the importance of personal hygiene and responsible antibiotic use, working together to safeguard our future.
ROLES SCHOOLS CAN PLAY IN SPREADING AWARENESS
Sunita George, Principal, Bombay Scottish, Mahim, Mumbai, detailed how education institutions play a significant role in spreading awareness.
She added,
School can contribute to spreading awareness because we have a larger impact. In case of AMR, it requires a behavioural change. Hence, it is important we talk to children about hygiene, especially handwashing.
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
