By By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], December 29 : Top medical experts have urged the public to use antibiotics only under proper medical guidance, warning against indiscriminate use that can fuel antibiotic resistance.
Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reference to an ICMR report on antibiotic resistance, Dr. M Srinivas, Director of AIIMS Delhi, emphasised that antibiotics should not be taken casually and must be used strictly as prescribed by doctors.
"Antibiotics should not be taken indiscriminately. When it comes to AIIMS, we have taken the leadership role, and we have department-wise protocols, SoPs, and hospital infection control systems. The antibiotics should be taken only on the advice of doctors," Dr Srinivas said.
Dr Srinivas highlighted how AIIMS is creating awareness in implementing department-wise protocols, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and hospital infection control measures to ensure responsible antibiotic use.
"It's very important that the public should not take antibiotics on their own. When a doctor prescribes it, you should take it. You should take it for the exact number of days prescribed. Other than that, you shouldn't take it. If there's a problem, you should go to the doctor. And in hospitals, there are many initiatives, and AIIMS has taken a leadership role. We provide training, teaching, and learning experiences, and we follow SOP guidelines. We've taken a leadership role in this at AIIMS," he said.
Dr. Srinivas further explained that antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections, which are usually self-limiting, and should only be prescribed for secondary bacterial infections after proper evaluation of age, comorbidities, and immunity.
Emphasising viral infections, he said, "Whenever we think we have a viral infection, it's self-limiting. Go to the doctor. If there's a secondary infection, the doctor will know based on age, comorbidities, and immunological competence and prescribe accordingly. Antibiotics are not antivirals; there's no benefit from them in viral infections."
Supporting the PM's call, Dr. Shiv Kumar Sarin, Director of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), said India is the largest consumer of antibiotics globally, with nearly three out of four hospital infections showing resistance or non-susceptibility.
"Today, the Prime Minister made a strong plea to citizens of India to use antibiotics more judiciously and at the advice of the medical specialists. I thank him for awakening the conscience of the people, the doctors, and the pharmaceutical industry. India is the largest user of antibiotics in the world, and nearly three out of four infections present in hospitals are resistant or non-susceptible to antibiotics. I endorse the PM's clarion call. Antibiotics are not a routine drug," he said.