Hyderabad: Welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stern warning on the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in his final ‘Mann ki Baat’ address of 2025, Hyderabad-based Infection Control Academy of India (IFCAI) on Monday said unchecked and inappropriate use of antibiotics, weak infection prevention systems and unregulated access to antimicrobials are accelerating resistance and undermining treatment of common infections.Earlier, PM Modi cited Indian Council of Medical Research findings showing that misuse and overuse of antibiotics — often without medical supervision — are reducing their effectiveness against infections such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections and bloodstream infections. He warned that common infections such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections and bloodstream infections are becoming harder to treat and suggested resorting to antibiotics only on a doctor’s advice.“AMR already contributes to millions of deaths globally each year, with low- and middle-income countries bearing a disproportionate burden due to high infection rates, limited diagnostics and unregulated antimicrobial access. This spotlight provides critical momentum to advance IFCAI’s mission of building a competent Infection Prevention and Control and Antimicrobial Stewardship workforce, strengthening hospital infection prevention systems and supporting evidence-based antibiotic use across India and other resource-constrained settings,” said senior public health expert and ICFAI president Dr Ranga Reddy Burri.Noting that the national spotlight can accelerate action on the ground, he added that strong political leadership is essential to strengthen infection prevention practices, promote responsible antibiotic use and build a trained healthcare workforce across hospitals and communities. “AMR already contributes to millions of deaths worldwide every year, with low- and middle-income countries like India facing a higher burden due to high infection rates, limited diagnostic facilities and easy access to antibiotics without prescriptions,” said Dr Burri.PM cited ICMR findings showing that misuse and overuse of antibiotics — often without medical supervision — are reducing their effectiveness against infections
