THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At a time when lifesaving medicines are quietly losing their power, a new public health initiative is turning to graphic storytelling to spark widespread community awareness.
ReAct Asia Pacific – a regional node of the global Action on Antibiotic Resistance network – has introduced a child-friendly comic book designed to educate school children on the critical dangers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The book centres around Class 6 students Sonu and Priya who navigate everyday health-based questions alongside their trusted mentor, Nurse Aunty. Together, the three characters journey through every chapter, learning about germs, proper medication, and staying healthy.
Through relatable classroom and playground adventures -- such as stopping antibiotic courses early or demanding pills for a seasonal cold - the book illustrates how misusing medicines gives rise to untreatable “superbugs.”
Highlighting the core vision behind the project, Dr S S Lal, director of ReAct Asia Pacific, said, “As each day goes by, the medicines that byonce cured our infections are quietly losing their power. When germs grow stronger than the medicines meant to stop them, even a common fever or cough can become hard to treat. AMR is mostly invisible, yet it touches every family.”
“This little book was made to explain a big idea in the simplest way possible,” said Dr Lal. Drawing on his extensive background in global health – having joined the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1999 as part of its first-ever team appointed for tuberculosis (TB) control in India – Dr Lal recalled how childhood engagement can transform entire households.
He pointed out an earlier TB awareness campaign featuring actor Amitabh Bachchan that made a deep impact because children began asking their parents about timely diagnosis and treatment.
Story conceptualiser Justy Thomas, who holds an LLM in International Children’s Rights from Leiden University, viewed the project as an ethical commitment to young readers. “One of the four core principles of child rights is the right of children to be heard, and providing information in a simplified manner makes meaningful access possible,” said Justy
The illustrations were crafted by Dr Ahzana K Nazarudheen, ensuring medical accuracy accompanies the simple narrative. Looking ahead, Justy noted that there was also potential to adapt the characters into AI-driven video content for digital platforms to engage wider audiences.
ReAct Asia Pacific also plans to approach the state government to actively promote and distribute the book across school classrooms.
AMR statistics & regional context
Global projection: Up to 10 million deaths annually by 2050 if left unchecked
India impact (2021): Nearly 10 lakh deaths in India were linked to resistant bacteria in 2021, with 4.2 lakh occurring among adults aged 70 and older (Source: GRAM estimates for India, 2021).
Declining efficacy: An ICMR study revealed that 65% of pneumonia cases caused by a specific pathogen could be treated with first-line antibiotics in 2016; by 2021, that efficacy dropped to 43%
Keralam action: Under Kerala Antimicrobial Resistance Strategic Action Plan (KARSAP), Keralam became the first Indian state to release antibiograms for four consecutive years and set state-level targets for optimum antibiotic use
Comic Book: Stronger Together Than Germs
Characters: Priya and Sonu (Class 6 students) & Nurse Aunty
Languages: Available in Malayalam and English; Hindi edition soon