ICMR Study Warns Drug-Resistant Infections Are Deadlier in India
A study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) reveals that drug-resistant bacterial infections in India lead to higher mortality rates and increased treatment costs. The findings emphasize the urgent need for better infection prevention and responsible antibiotic use.
Why it matters
Antimicrobial resistance is a critical global health threat that could undermine modern medical procedures and increase public health expenditures.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is becoming an increasingly urgent health concern in India, with a new Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study finding that drug-resistant bacterial infections are associated with higher mortality, increased treatment costs and longer hospital stays. Published in The Lancet Regional Health–Southeast Asia, the study analysed data from 1.6 lakh hospitalised patients treated at 20 tertiary-care hospitals between April 2022 and April 2025. Of these, 26,213 patients had infections caused by four major Gram-negative bacteria: E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. One of the most concerning findings was that 61.1 per cent of these infections were resistant to carbapenems, a group of antibiotics often relied upon for serious bacterial infections.
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