India Contributes to London resolution addressing antimicrobial resistance
Commonwealth Medical Association
(CMA) held in London on July 18, 56 National Medical Associations came together to adopt the London Resolution on
Antimicrobial Resistance
(AMR) 2025. Among the leading contributors to this global initiative was India, which played a central role in shaping the resolution through the
Indian Medical Association
(IMA).
The resolution is intended to portray coordinated international effort to address the rising threat of AMR, often referred to as the "silent pandemic." It aims to curb
antibiotic misuse
and strengthen antimicrobial stewardship across member nations.
The document was jointly released by Prof. (Dr.) J. A. Jayalal, President of the CMA, and MP Seema Malhotra, UK's Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Migration and Citizenship. Dr. Jayalal underscored AMR as a pressing
public health challenge
with far-reaching consequences, noting the need for collective action to protect vulnerable populations and safeguard future generations.
India's contribution was reflected in both policy drafting and practical implementation models. The IMA's AMR SMART Hospital Model—which integrates infection control, education, and stewardship practices—was cited as a best-practice example for replication across Commonwealth countries.
The resolution outlines 14 key commitments, including the appointment of AMR focal points in each country, formation of national AMR committees, integration of AMR education into medical training, and hosting annual AMR-focused sessions at medical conferences. It also emphasizes a One Health approach, addressing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health in combating resistance.
one of the feature of the resolution is the proposed
CMA Fellowship in AMR
, designed to support the development of experts in antimicrobial stewardship. It is stated that the fellowship will focus on training early- and mid-career health professionals to lead AMR-related research, policy, and implementation strategies.
The CMA will work with member associations to roll out the resolution's roadmap, promote knowledge exchange, and track progress annually.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
2 days ago
- Hans India
Cigarettes, bidis, chewable tobacco continue to silently raise cancer risks in youth: Experts
New Delhi: More than the new and trendy alternatives, traditional tobacco products like cigarettes, bidis, and chewable tobacco are posing a silent crisis for India's youth, significantly raising the risk of cancers like lung, mouth and throat, said health experts on Monday, calling out the need to step up the fight against these to push the fight against tobacco. According to the 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 8.5 per cent of students aged 13-15 use tobacco, contributing to 1.3 million deaths annually. With tobacco linked to 90 per cent of lung cancer cases, the experts warned that this overlooked epidemic demands immediate action beyond the vaping debate. 'Over 90 per cent of lung cancer cases in India are linked to combustible tobacco. In my clinical experience, I regularly treat patients as young as 17 for tobacco-induced complications. What we need is a calibrated approach that combines prevention, regulation, and public awareness -- not selective panic,' Dr. Narender Saini, Chairman, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Standing Committee, at Indian Medical Association (IMA), told IANS. There is growing concern in the medical community that public discourse on youth addiction is missing the mark. While focus has been on new trends, the experts warned that the silent epidemic of oral and throat cancer among under-25s, linked to traditional tobacco products like gutkha and khaini, is a more urgent and dangerously overlooked crisis. 'The data points to a stark reality -- traditional tobacco's grip on our youth far outweighs other concerns, urging us to rethink our priorities. Our focus must expand from trendy alternatives to the proven killers: cigarettes, bidis, and chewable tobacco,' Dr Chandrakant S Pandav, Padma Shri Awardee, and former Prof and HoD, Community Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi, told IANS. The global health expert noted that the traditional tobacco landscape remains largely unchallenged in schools and villages. Despite soaring concerns over vaping, combustible and smokeless tobacco products continue to thrive, fuelled by cultural acceptance and unchecked distribution. 'Tobacco use poses immediate and long-term risks to infection control. My clinical experience reveals a stark contrast: tobacco-related illnesses are rampant, while vaping-related lung issues are remarkably rare,' Saini said. The experts called for strengthening school-based interventions, community awareness campaigns, and stricter enforcement of existing laws. 'Bridging the gap between data and policy, stakeholders must now craft a unified strategy that tackles both supply and demand, ensuring young Indians are shielded from every form of tobacco harm,' Pandav added. Dr. Pawan Gupta, Senior Consultant, Pulmonary Medicine at a leading city-based hospital, told IANS that 'the damage inflicted by traditional tobacco begins early and lasts a lifetime". 'We witness its devastating consequences daily -- oral cancers, lung diseases, and heart conditions -- often in individuals who started using these products in their teenage years. With 1.35 million deaths annually, the science is clear: traditional tobacco is a proven killer, and our youth are its most vulnerable targets,' Gupta said.
NDTV
2 days ago
- NDTV
IIT Roorkee Finds Breakthrough To Beat World's Most Dangerous Superbugs
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee have developed a new drug candidate that could restore the power of a critical antibiotic against one of the world's most dangerous superbugs. The discovery offers renewed hope in the escalating battle against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The research team, led by Prof Ranjana Pathania from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, designed a novel molecule, Compound 3b, that works with a potent antibiotic Meropenem. This combination therapy has shown the ability to treat infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, a pathogen designated as a top-priority threat by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to its resistance to multiple drugs. "This breakthrough offers a promising solution to one of the world's most urgent health challenges," stated Prof. Pathania. "Our compound neutralises the resistance mechanism and shows strong therapeutic results in preclinical models." Compound 3b is a type of drug that prevents bacteria from using enzymes to destroy antibiotics. The study, which included collaboration with researchers from UiT Tromso in Norway, found the new compound to be highly specific, safe for human cells, and effective at reducing bacterial infection in lung tests on animals. The discovery of a drug like Compound 3b is a crucial step in a larger fight. Antibiotic resistance is a silent pandemic that makes once-treatable infections, from pneumonia and tuberculosis to common wound infections, lethal again. Without effective antibiotics, many modern medical procedures, including surgery, organ transplants, and cancer chemotherapy, become much more risky. This research is vital because it addresses a fundamental problem of the bacteria evolving faster than the speed at which new drugs are being developed. By revitalising existing antibiotics, Compound 3b provides a powerful new tool without starting from scratch. It is a strategic victory against a microbial enemy that threatens to unravel decades of medical progress. "This innovation reflects IIT Roorkee's commitment to developing impactful scientific solutions for global challenges. In the face of rising antibiotic resistance, such research provides critical hope for effective and accessible treatments," said IIT Roorkee director Prof KK Pant. The findings have been published in the prestigious Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and is expected to be a significant step forward in safeguarding public health from drug-resistant superbugs.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- New Indian Express
Experts warn of risks in unsafe plastic surgeries
HYDERABAD: Surgeons emphasised the urgent need for safety in plastic surgeries, noting that negligence could lead to serious complications and infections. This was a key takeaway from the two-day SafePlast-2025 conference, held at T-Hub on August 9 and 10, which saw participation from over 120 plastic surgeons and dermatologists from across India. Speaking at the event, renowned Dubai-based senior plastic surgeon Dr Sanjay Parashar said, 'Plastic and aesthetic surgeries are highly complex. It's important to know how to address issues if they occur and to identify the root cause. Post-treatment infections are a risk, and preventing them is essential, he added. 'Liposuction, cosmetic surgeries, facial corrections (like nose, chin, cheeks), and hair transplants are extremely delicate and must be handled with utmost care, prioritising patient safety.' Dr Gurukarna Vemula, managing director of a plastic surgery centre, said it was important for patients to do a background check of the plastic surgeons they would visit for treatment. He cautioned that 'many problems arise when untrained practitioners perform such treatments. Some hair transplant patients develop scalp infections; Botox, fillers, and laser treatments can also have side effects. To avoid these, patients must choose the right doctor.'
