BENGALURU: Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stressed the need to preserve the efficacy of existing antibiotics and prevent the spread of drug-resistant infections within healthcare facilities and communities. He also urged people to stop self-medication.
With the aim of creating awareness about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), Gundu Rao held a sensitisation workshop with health experts and officials in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
The health minister said that AMR is a phenomenon by which pathogens do not respond to medicines, making it hard to treat infections. It is the third-highest cause of death in India, affecting the poor disproportionately, he added.
AMR has also led to an increased mortality rate since even simple infections have become untreatable due to it. It was also highlighted that the patients are seen suffering from prolonged illnesses, leading to increased healthcare costs and a burden on the health system.
With the AMR Awareness Week observed on November 18-24, he requested citizens to take antibiotics only when advised by a medical professional and complete the full course of medicine. Since the viral infection cases have increased, he asked citizens to avoid taking antibiotics for cold, flu, runny nose or other viral infections, as people have developed resistance to them due to overconsumption.