Srinagar, Nov 29: Doctors in Kashmir have expressed concern over the ever-increasing overuse and misuse of antibiotics in the valley amid the growing epidemic of Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as it is one of the top global public health threats at present.
Recently, at the concluding event of the World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) 18-24th Nov 2024 at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) various activities including poster competition, quiz competition, and community outreach initiatives were organised by the Institute.
Prof. M. Ashraf Ganie, Director SKIMS Soura said that antimicrobial resistance is an escalating issue, particularly in our region, where the overuse and misuse of antibiotics are more prevalent.
He said raising awareness is crucial in addressing this challenge and SKIMS is proactively implementing numerous measures to combat AMR.
Prof. Ganie also urged attendants and local chemists to actively promote the rational and judicious use of antibiotics as a key strategy to fight against antimicrobial resistance.
Dr Syed Mudasir Qadri, Additional Professor Department of Internal and Pulmonary Medicine, SKIMS said that they have observed a concerning trend where patients frequently request doctors to prescribe antibiotics.
“Many individuals engage in self-medication, obtaining and consuming antibiotics on their own from pharmacies without proper consultation or prescription,” he said.
Dr Qadri said that the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans are the primary factors driving the emergence of drug-resistant pathogens.
“Apart from increasing the chances of drug resistance, the unnecessary use of antibiotics can be damaging to the human body in many ways. It can lead to an imbalance in the flora and fauna of the human body by killing the good bacteria as these organisms coexist naturally in humans and are helpful to us” he said.
He said that the world is still not fully recovered from the effects of the COVID -19 Pandemic and here we are standing on the edge of another simmering pandemic of antimicrobial resistance; it is a huge threat to humanity.
“There is a dire need to have policies for rationalizing antibiotic use across all hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir which is one of the main ways to curb misuse of antibiotics,” he said.
“AMR has a multi-faceted impact. In the setting of an infection with a multidrug resistant pathogen, a patient who can normally be cured in a day or two might take a significantly longer time to recover that too by administering combinations of two or more medications instead of just one. Also, it often leads to prolonged hospital stays, requiring higher doses of “high-end” antibiotics. These high-dose antibiotics are often more toxic to the human body,” Dr Qadri said.
As per doctors the increased use of antibiotics not only causes severe side effects but also places a significant financial burden on patients, hospitals, and the state exchequer due to the high cost of these drugs.
Dr Qadri, who is the principal investigator of an ongoing study titled ‘Implementation of Antimicrobial Stewardship Activities Across Hospitals in India’ an ICMR funded study, said antibiotics shall be avoided in conditions like common cold and flu, which is quite rampant these days in the valley.
“Upper respiratory infections are common in autumn. As the season changes from summer to winters, the weather becomes cold and dry making people vulnerable to respiratory infections. Majority of infections are viral in origin and do not require antibiotics. People need to be aware and responsible to not fall into the trap of using antibiotics where just a paracetamol or other symptomatic treatment may be enough,” he said.
“AMR puts many of the gains of modern medicine at risk. It makes infections harder to treat and makes other medical procedures and treatments such as surgery, caesarean sections and cancer chemotherapy much riskier,” he said.
Doctors say that in India there is no control on the prescription of antibiotics and AMR has serious consequences on the public health and there is a need for policies at national level.
