India Emerges as an Antibiotic Resistance Hotspot: Medicines Fail in 83 Percent of Patients
16-Dec-25 05:27:41

India Emerges as an Antibiotic Resistance Hotspot: Medicines Fail in 83 Percent of Patients

A recent Hindi news report has raised a serious alarm about the speed at which antibiotic resistance is spreading in India. According to the article, the country is steadily becoming a centre of antibiotic resistance, with commonly prescribed medicines failing to work in a large proportion of patients.

Health experts quoted in the report warn that if the current trend continues, antibiotic-resistant infections could trigger a severe public health emergency in the coming years.

83 percent patients showing resistance

The report notes that in close to 83 per cent of patients, laboratory findings reveal bacteria that no longer respond to one or more of the widely used antibiotics. In many hospital cases, even higher generation drugs are losing their effectiveness, forcing doctors to use last-line medicines that are expensive, limited in number and associated with significant side effects.

Specialists caution that such high levels of resistance, if not controlled, can make routine infections harder to treat, increase hospital stays and push up mortality, especially in vulnerable groups like children, elderly patients and those with chronic illnesses.

Self-medication turning into a cause of death

A key concern highlighted in the article is the widespread habit of taking antibiotics without medical advice. People frequently purchase antibiotics over the counter, repeat old prescriptions or follow recommendations from non-medical acquaintances.

This pattern of misuse is turning what should be life-saving medicines into a cause of harm and even death. In many of the severe cases reported, patients had taken multiple courses of antibiotics on their own before reaching a hospital. By that time, the infecting bacteria were already resistant to several drugs.

Large-scale misuse across the country

Along with self-medication, the report points to:

• Incomplete antibiotic courses where patients stop the drug as soon as they feel better

• Use of antibiotics for viral infections such as the common cold and uncomplicated flu

• Overuse of broad-spectrum drugs when not indicated

• Use of antibiotics in livestock and agriculture that indirectly promotes resistance in human pathogens

Altogether, these practices are exerting intense selection pressure on multidrug-resistant bacteria, which then spread within families, communities and hospitals.

A call for collective responsibility

The article also refers to social and spiritual organisations taking public pledges to avoid antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription, underlining that antibiotic resistance cannot be fought by hospitals alone. Mass awareness, responsible prescribing and disciplined behaviour by citizens are all essential.

Health experts quoted in the piece recommend:

• Never starting or stopping antibiotics without consulting a qualified doctor

• Completing the full prescribed course even if symptoms improve early

• Avoiding pressure on doctors to write antibiotics “just in case”

• Strengthening infection control, sanitation and vaccination to reduce the overall need for antibiotics

Where Ayurveda and integrative care fit in

From the perspective of Indian vaidyas, the crisis of antibiotic resistance also highlights the need to strengthen preventive and supportive care through evidence-informed traditional systems like Ayurveda, while always coordinating with modern medicine.

For many mild, self-limiting conditions, lifestyle changes, dietary modifications, classical Ayurvedic formulations, and monitored home-based remedies under expert guidance can help reduce unnecessary antibiotic exposure. For severe infections, antibiotics prescribed by qualified doctors remain essential, while Ayurveda can support recovery, immunity and gut health.

Platforms such as Ayuquo and Ayuquo Centrum in Noida, regarded by many patients as among the best Ayurvedic hospitals in Noida, India, promote this integrative, doctor-led approach where patients receive rational, personalised care instead of reflex antibiotic use.

The way forward

India stands at a critical point in its fight against antibiotic resistance. The statistics highlighted in this report should be seen as a warning and an opportunity.

If healthcare providers, pharmacists, policymakers and citizens work together to ensure rational antibiotic use, strengthen infection prevention and build credible alternatives for routine care, the country can still avoid the worst outcomes of this crisis.

At Indianvaidyas, we will continue to track research, policy updates and success stories that show how India can protect both its people and the power of antibiotics for future generations.

Source: Amar Ujala, Times Of India, NDTV, India Today