Srinagar, Nov 22 (KNO): Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as one of the most alarming public health threats of the 21st century, doctors in Kashmir said, cautioning that the world is gradually heading toward a post-antibiotic era where common infections could once again become deadly.
Doctors at GMC Srinagar told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that antibiotics—once considered miracle drugs capable of saving millions of lives—are increasingly losing their effectiveness.
“We are witnessing a disturbing situation where some of our most reliable antibiotics no longer work. Infections that were once easily treatable are now becoming complicated and resistant,” a senior specialist at the institution said.
He explained that antimicrobial resistance develops when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites adapt in ways that make medicines ineffective. “When microbes gain the ability to withstand drugs meant to kill them, routine infections become harder to treat, illnesses last longer, and the likelihood of severe complications increases,” he said.
According to doctors, the leading contributors to AMR include irrational use of antibiotics, skipping doses or failing to complete treatment, poor hygiene in healthcare settings, unregulated sales of antimicrobials, and their excessive use in livestock and agriculture. “Lack of new antibiotics in recent decades has also worsened the crisis,” the doctor added.
He urged the public to be cautious: “Before taking antibiotics, think twice and seek medical advice. Misuse of these drugs endangers everyone. Over-prescription and self-medication have allowed resistant bacteria to flourish.”
Citing studies, he said that resistance has already compromised the treatment of several common infections, such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, tuberculosis, and bloodstream infections.
A landmark Lancet report published in 2022 estimated that bacterial AMR was associated with 4.95 million deaths worldwide in 2019. The same report warns that without urgent intervention, drug-resistant infections could claim 10 million lives annually by 2050, surpassing deaths from cancer.
Another doctor at GMC Anantnag said AMR has wide-ranging consequences beyond health. “It is not only a medical challenge but an enormous economic burden. It widens global health inequalities, increases hospital stays, complicates surgeries, and threatens modern medical procedures like organ transplants and cancer chemotherapy,” he said.
He stressed that responsible use of antibiotics, along with proper disposal of expired drugs and pharmaceutical waste, is crucial. “Drugs improperly discarded into the environment contribute to the development of resistant microbes in soil and water,” the doctor said.
According to doctors, Kashmir is witnessing worrying trends in antibiotic resistance due to rampant misuse. “More than two-thirds of antibiotics prescribed here are unnecessary—either for viral infections or for illnesses that do not require antibiotics at all,” a senior physician said.
The lack of regulation is a major factor. “Many chemists sell antibiotics freely without prescriptions. Even in hospitals, patients are often put on broad-spectrum antibiotics before proper diagnostic tests are done,” doctors said. They warned that unchecked misuse is pushing the region toward a crisis where standard treatments may fail.
Health experts have called for a comprehensive antibiotic policy in Jammu & Kashmir. “A well-designed antibiotic policy can streamline prescriptions, promote rational use, and ensure standard treatment protocols both inside and outside hospitals,” they said.
They also called for strengthening infection prevention and control, enhancing surveillance of resistant pathogens, public education campaigns, encouraging research and development of new antimicrobials and restricting the over-the-counter sale of antibiotics
“AMR is a silent pandemic,” the doctors warned. “If we do not act now, the consequences will be irreversible. Antibiotics must be preserved for future generations.”
November 18-24 is observed as Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week across the world—(KNO)