Superbugs in hospitals: Misuse of antibiotics breeding resistance
The Tribune Editorial: The PGI study confirms what smaller studies and patient experiences have long shown — that germs in our hospitals are turning harder to treat.
Updated At : 06:53 AM Aug 22, 2025 IST
INDIA’s hospitals are facing a silent but deadly enemy — superbugs. A new study by the PGIMER, Chandigarh, has found that nearly six out of 10 patients admitted to large hospitals were on antibiotics. Many of these medicines were from the “last-resort” category, meant to be used only when nothing else works. Worse, in many cases, they were prescribed without proper lab tests. This is problematic as overuse and misuse of antibiotics make bacteria stronger and harder to kill. Once they become resistant, common infections turn into life-threatening ones. The PGI study shows that hospitals themselves are becoming breeding grounds for such drug-resistant bacteria.
