Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a serious problem in the country. Awakening
Anup Kumar Singh, New Delhi. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the country is no longer just a problem of hospitals and medicines. Due to excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics in agriculture and animal husbandry, poultry and fisheries, resistant bacteria have reached the food plate through agricultural products and non-vegetarian food.
The seriousness of the situation can be gauged from the fact that two out of every three antibiotics produced in the world are not being used to treat humans, but to increase the production of milk, meat, eggs and fish.
This indiscriminate use is making AMR an invisible epidemic and antibiotics used for common infections are gradually becoming ineffective and treatment is becoming complex and expensive. The situation has become so serious that the central government had to ban 37 antimicrobial drugs being used in animal husbandry and fishery production.
These include 18 antibiotics, 18 antivirals and one anti-protozoan drug. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has also strictly banned the use of antibiotics in milk, meat, egg, poultry and fish production.
Serious threat related to environment...
These resistant bacteria are spreading not only through food, but also through direct contact with animals, soil and water sources contaminated with their feces and urine. This is the reason why AMR has now become a health crisis as well as a serious threat to water, forests, land and environment.
Scientists associated with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and the Indian Network for Fisheries and Animal Antimicrobial Resistance say that weak biosecurity, irregular medical monitoring of animals and lack of awareness among farmers are deepening the crisis.
83 percent patients are carriers of multi-drug resistant bacteria.
Medical journal The Lancet and other studies have also revealed that about 83 percent of patients coming to hospitals in India are carriers of multi-drug resistant bacteria. A major reason for this is resistant bacteria reaching the body through the food chain. According to a 2024 report published in The Lancet, if current trends do not change, there could be more than 39 million deaths annually directly from AMR between 2025 and 2050.
India's situation in global comparison is worrying...
According to a report, about three thousand tons of antibiotics are being consumed every year for animals and birds in India. Here, an average of 114 mg of antibiotic is used per kg of meat production, whereas in countries like Norway it is only four mg per kg.
Also read: Tourists will now be able to travel by double-decker bus in Delhi, this facility will start in February itself; What is the fare and timing?
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), antibiotic use in animal husbandry and fisheries is increasing fastest in Asia, including India. It has been warned that if the trend continues, the consumption of antibiotics in fisheries alone could reach 17,648 tonnes by 2040.
The increasing use of antibiotics to make animals, fruits and vegetables grow faster is making the situation dangerous. Normal water purification equipment is not able to isolate AMR, allowing it to enter the human body through water. In such a situation, promotion of antibiotic-free products and proper food management is the only way to deal with this crisis.-Dr. Narendra Saini, Chairman, AMR Committee, Indian Medical Association
(Read yesterday: How AMR is spreading through environment, water and industrial waste…)
Chyawanprash is a part of every Indian's life, it reduces diseases and increases energy.