Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health concern, and recent findings from a government study in India shed light on alarming trends in antibiotic prescription practices. The study, titled “The First Multicentric Point Prevalence Survey of Antibiotic Use at 20 NAC-NET Sites India 2021-22,” conducted by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), underscores the urgent need for stringent regulations to combat the rise of AMR.
Unveiling Disturbing Antibiotic Prescription Patterns
The survey, conducted across 20 major hospitals in 15 states and two Union Territories, revealed that an overwhelming 72% of patients surveyed were prescribed antibiotics between November 2021 and April 2022. Shockingly, 45% of patients received antibiotics to treat illnesses, while 55% were prescribed antibiotics as a preventive measure.
The study exposed the concerning fact that 4.6% of patients received four or more types of antibiotics, raising concerns about the potential misuse of these medications. The wide variation in antibiotic prescription rates across different hospitals—from 100% in some to 37% in others—highlighted the lack of uniformity in medical practices.
Watch Group Antibiotics and the Risk of Resistance
The report indicated that certain types of antibiotics, categorized as the “watch group,” were disproportionately prescribed, accounting for 57% of prescriptions across the surveyed sites compared to 38% for “access” group antibiotics. The “watch” antibiotics, often reserved for sicker patients in medical facilities, carry a higher risk of antimicrobial resistance. The study emphasized the importance of judicious prescribing to curb misuse.
Urgent Recommendations for Regulating Antibiotic Use
In response to these findings, the study recommended the implementation of strict guidelines for antibiotic usage in hospitals. The report urged healthcare facilities to exercise caution, especially with powerful antibiotics, advocating for their use only when absolutely necessary. It emphasized the significance of following established protocols to minimize the risk of contributing to the silent pandemic of AMR.
Furthermore, the study identified instances where hospitals were using antibiotics not recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The report called for increased vigilance in monitoring the use of these drugs to align with global health standards.
The study’s final recommendation focused on surgical antibiotic prophylaxis, suggesting that a single dose or a day-before approach should suffice for preventing infection before surgery. In cases of post-surgical infections, antibiotics should be administered strictly based on diagnostic confirmation.
