Misuse and overuse of antibiotics are turning once-treatable infections into life-threatening illnesses, global and Indian health agencies have warned. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), antibiotic resistance is rapidly emerging as one of India’s biggest public health challenges.
The latest WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance
Surveillance Report 2025 and ICMR’s national data reveal that bacteria in India are increasingly becoming resistant to commonly used medicines. This alarming trend is already having deadly consequences—especially among vulnerable populations such as newborns.
60,000 Newborn Deaths Linked to Drug-Resistant Infections
Health experts estimate that nearly 60,000 newborn deaths every year in India are linked to infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The reports warn that if immediate corrective steps are not taken, even routine infections could become fatal in the coming years.
Diseases that once required just a few days of treatment are now demanding prolonged hospitalisation, higher medical costs, and stronger last-resort drugs—many of which are also starting to fail.
India’s Situation More Alarming Than Global Average
WHO data shows that between 2018 and 2023, resistance increased in over 40% of monitored pathogen-drug combinations worldwide. However, India’s situation is even more worrying.
International studies indicate that around 83% of hospitalised patients in India are infected with multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs)—bacteria that do not respond to multiple antibiotics.
Nearly 70% of these cases involve ESBL-producing bacteria
About 23% show resistance even to carbapenems, considered last-line antibiotics
MRSA Resistance Reaches 50–60% in Hospitals
ICMR surveillance data highlights rapid resistance development in bacteria such as E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These pathogens commonly cause urinary infections, pneumonia, bloodstream infections, and ICU-related illnesses.
In several hospitals, MRSA resistance rates have climbed to 50–60%, making treatment increasingly complex.
Even Last-Resort Antibiotics Losing Effectiveness
Doctors are particularly concerned that resistance is now being observed against carbapenems and colistin, drugs reserved as the final option when all others fail. This shrinking list of effective treatments is severely limiting doctors’ ability to save lives.
WHO has stressed that antibiotic resistance affects not just infections, but also surgeries, cancer treatment, neonatal care, and intensive care units, where antibiotics are critical for survival.
What Is MRSA and Why Is It Dangerous?
MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a highly dangerous bacterium resistant to commonly used antibiotics. It can cause severe infections of the skin, lungs, and bloodstream. Experts say irrational antibiotic use is accelerating its spread.
PM Modi and Health Experts Urge Responsible Use
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also raised concerns about antibiotic misuse in his Mann Ki Baat address. Health experts unanimously advise:
●Never take antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription
●Always complete the full course
●Avoid self-medication and sharing medicines
They warn that responsible antibiotic use is the only effective way to prevent a future where minor infections become untreatable.
