Antibiotics misuse: India’s silent health emergency

A new study has highlighted a disturbing reality: patient expectations are a key factor behind the misuse of antibiotics in India. Many people see these drugs as a guaranteed cure, and some doctors in the private sector often oblige in order to retain their patients. The result is staggering — more than half a billion antibiotic prescriptions are written annually in India’s private sector alone, many of them unnecessary. Nowhere is this misuse more glaring than in childhood diarrhoea. Although the majority of cases are viral and respond best to oral rehydration salts and zinc, studies show that nearly 70 per cent are still treated with antibiotics. Misguided demand, weak regulation and overprescribing by doctors have created a dangerous cycle of dependence on drugs that were meant to be used sparingly.

The danger extends far beyond individual patients. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is emerging as one of the world’s deadliest health crises. Globally, it already contributes to about 5 million deaths a year. In India alone, over 2.50 lakh deaths in 2021 were directly linked to AMR, with nearly 10 lakh more associated with drug-resistant infections. Particularly alarming is the fact that in 2019, only 7.8 per cent of Indians with severe drug-resistant bacterial infections received effective antibiotics as it exposes a massive treatment gap.

Resistant microbes spread easily, turning once-curable infections into deadly conditions and making surgeries, cancer treatment and routine care far riskier. The way forward is clear. Public campaigns must debunk myths around antibiotics, regulations must be enforced to curb frivolous prescriptions and affordable diagnostic tools must be made widely available to guide rational treatment. At the same time, India must ensure that those who truly need antibiotics can access the right drugs without delay. Otherwise, this ‘silent pandemic’ of resistance will cost countless more lives.