Context:
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The 2025 Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) report released by the World Health Organization flags alarmingly high levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in India, mirroring broader South-East Asian trends.
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Despite national policies and sectoral interventions, India continues to face critical gaps in AMR surveillance, regulation, and antibiotic stewardship, posing risks to public health, equity, and environmental safety.
Key Highlights:
Scale of the AMR Problem in India
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In 2023, nearly one in three bacterial infections in India showed resistance to commonly used antibiotics.
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India ranks among countries with high AMR burden, threatening:
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Treatment of routine infections
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Maternal and child health
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Surgical safety and cancer care
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Drivers of Rising AMR
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Over-the-counter (OTC) availability of antibiotics without prescription.
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Self-medication and incomplete treatment courses.
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Environmental contamination from:
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Pharmaceutical effluents
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Hospital waste
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Agricultural runoff
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Misuse of antibiotics in animal husbandry (partially addressed).
Policy & Programmatic Interventions
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National Action Plan on AMR (NAP-AMR):
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Exists but implementation remains slow
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Only a few States have operationalised State Action Plans.
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Kerala’s AMRITH Programme (January 2024):
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Targets OTC antibiotic sales
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Emphasises inter-sectoral coordination
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Aims for antibiotic literacy by December 2025
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2019 ban on colistin as a growth promoter in animal husbandry:
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Significant step under the One Health framework
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Surveillance Gaps Highlighted by GLASS
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AMR data in India is:
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Largely derived from tertiary-care hospitals
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Skewed towards severe cases, potentially overestimating national resistance
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Limited inclusion of:
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Primary and secondary healthcare
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Community-level infections
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Editorial calls for a full-network surveillance model integrating:
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500+ NABL-accredited laboratories
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Human, animal, and environmental health data
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One Health & Stewardship Imperatives
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Effective AMR control requires:
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Human health, veterinary, and environmental sectors working together
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Antibiotic stewardship must focus on:
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Rational prescription
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Monitoring antibiotic use
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Public awareness and provider training
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Innovation & Economic Constraints
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While new antibiotics are under development:
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The global pipeline remains thin, especially for critical MDR pathogens
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Barriers include:
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Low commercial returns
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Inadequate public funding
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Limited industry engagement
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India needs incentives for:
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R&D
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Domestic pharmaceutical innovation
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Public–private partnerships
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Global & Ethical Dimension
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World AMR Awareness Week (Nov 18–24) underscores AMR as:
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A global public health emergency
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A matter of intergenerational justice
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Failure to act disproportionately affects:
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Poor and vulnerable populations
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Health systems with limited resources
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Key Concepts Involved:
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Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): Ability of microbes to withstand antimicrobial treatment.
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GLASS: WHO-led global system for AMR surveillance and data sharing.
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One Health: Integrated approach linking human, animal, and environmental health.
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Antibiotic Stewardship: Optimising antibiotic use to slow resistance.
UPSC Relevance (GS-wise):
GS 2 – Social Justice
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Access to effective healthcare
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Equity implications of drug resistance
GS 3 – Science & Technology
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Drug resistance and biomedical innovation
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R&D challenges in antibiotics
GS 3 – Environment & Ecology
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Environmental pathways of AMR
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Pharmaceutical pollution
GS 2 – Governance
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Centre–State coordination in health policy
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Regulatory enforcement and surveillance systems
Prelims Focus:
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AMR and its causes
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GLASS and WHO’s role
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One Health approach
Mains Enrichment:
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Examine why India’s AMR burden remains high despite policy frameworks.
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Discuss how robust surveillance and antibiotic stewardship can safeguard public health and environmental sustainability.