Antibiotics have saved millions of lives by treating bacterial infections. But these medicines may not always work as expected. When bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics, infections that were once easy to treat can become difficult, expensive and sometimes life-threatening. This problem, known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), is a growing public health concern worldwide, including in Jammu and Kashmir.

Antibiotic resistance does not mean that our body has become resistant to a medicine. It means that bacteria have changed in ways that allow them to survive medicines that would normally kill them or stop their growth. These resistant bacteria can multiply and spread, making infections harder to treat.The World Health Organization estimates that approximately one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections worldwide in 2023 was resistant to antibiotic treatment. This is a global estimate, not a figure specific to Jammu and Kashmir, but it highlights the seriousness of the problem.

What Is Happening in Kashmir?Research conducted at healthcare institutions in Kashmir has identified antibiotic-resistant bacteria in clinical samples. A study at Government Medical College, Srinagar, examined 4,378 wound samples collected during the first six months of 2023. Bacterial growth was found in 1,921 samples, or 43.9 per cent. This figure represents the proportion of samples showing bacterial growth, not the proportion with antibiotic resistance.

Other studies have reported........

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