{"id":78877,"date":"2026-07-10T18:04:07","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T12:34:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=78877"},"modified":"2026-07-10T18:05:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T12:35:18","slug":"amr-neonatal-sepsis-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/10-07-2026\/amr-neonatal-sepsis-india","title":{"rendered":"Study to Contain AMR Neonatal Sepsis Begins in India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Health&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The landmark <strong>NeoSep1 clinical trial, <\/strong>funded by the GARDP Foundation has expanded to India to address escalating rates of <strong>drug-resistant neonatal sepsis.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>More About the News<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The trial is especially important for India as the bacteria that cause newborn sepsis are not the same as in high-income countries.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>While <strong>Group B Streptococcus <\/strong>is a major cause worldwide, in India, cases are primarily driven by <strong>drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria<\/strong> such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In India, it accounts for 30-40% of neonatal deaths in India with an estimated 2-2.5 lakh preventable deaths occurring annually.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Sepsis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Neonatal sepsis is a <strong>life-threatening bloodstream infection<\/strong> that occurs in babies under 90 days old, often affecting premature or low-birth-weight infants.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is categorised into <strong>early-onset (occurring within the first 72 hours of life) and late-onset (occurring up to 28\u201390 days).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Common signs of sepsis include fever, fast heart rate, rapid breathing, confusion and body pain. It can lead to septic shock, multiple organ failure and death.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Good hygiene, safe food practices, clean water and sanitation, vaccination, a healthy diet and breastfeeding for newborns can reduce the risk of infection and prevent sepsis.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is a condition in which bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites <strong>no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines<\/strong>, which include antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitics.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As a result, infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness, disability and death.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is the result of evolution of microbes in a situation where there is a misuse or overuse of antibiotics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Factors contributing to the rise of AMR in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Excessive use of Antimicrobial Drugs:<\/strong> The irrational excessive use of antimicrobial drugs leads to the creation of resistant or extremely resistant superbugs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of Hygiene Practices: <\/strong>Inadequate hygiene practices and the lack of proper infection control in hospitals and clinics, facilitate the spread of resistant bacteria.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of Proper Diagnostics: <\/strong>The prescription of antibiotics by doctors without proper diagnostics of the patient, relying solely on symptoms to determine the likely cause of the infection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pharmaceutical waste<\/strong>: Pharmaceutical waste from antibiotic manufacturing can facilitate the emergence of new drug-resistant bacteria, which can spread globally and threaten our health.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unregulated Access to Antibiotics:<\/strong> An area of great concern is the unregulated access to antibiotics in the animal husbandry, dairy, and poultry sectors.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social &amp; Cultural Practices of India: <\/strong>India\u2019s vibrant culture of massive religious festivals (e.g., Kumbh Mela), political rallies, and large family weddings creates ultra-high-transmission environments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Initiatives undertaken to combat AMR<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>National Programme on AMR Containment:<\/strong> It was launched during the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17). The main objectives of this program are:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Establish a laboratory-based antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance system in the country to generate high-quality data on antimicrobial resistance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Conduct surveillance of antimicrobial usage in different healthcare settings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Strengthen infection control practices and promote the rational use of antimicrobials through antimicrobial stewardship activities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Awareness through the Red<strong> Line Campaign.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Action Plan (NAP) on AMR: <\/strong>India was among the first countries to develop a comprehensive NAP on Antimicrobial Resistance in 2017.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u00a0The plan focuses on a One Health approach, involving various stakeholder ministries and departments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>AMR Surveillance Network<\/strong>: ICMR established the Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance and Research Network (AMRSN) in 2013 to collect evidence, track trends, and identify patterns of drug-resistant infections in the country.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Research &amp; International Collaboration on AMR<\/strong>: ICMR has also initiated international collaborations to develop new drugs and strengthen medical research in AMR.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What more needs to be done?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Regulating use of antibiotics in various sectors:<\/strong> Usage of antibiotics in various sectors must be regulated to address the challenge of rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in India.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Governments should strictly control the use of antibiotics in poultry farms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India ranks top in antibiotic use across the world. Every year, we see a rise in antibiotic use, 7\u20138% in outpatients and 11 % in indoor patients<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Effective Sanitation &amp; Hygiene:<\/strong> Awareness should be increased among the people about the importance of hygiene, as various types of infections can be prevented by improving sanitation, implementing hygienic practices, and promoting vaccination.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prioritise implementation of NAP on AMR:<\/strong> Efficient implementation of NAP-AMR should be prioritised. The suboptimal implementation of it in the absence of resources should be addressed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Promotion of Responsible Behaviour among Citizens and Doctors: <\/strong>People should be educated on the dangers of overusing antibiotics.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Doctors must be educated to ensure appropriate use of antibiotics, saving the stronger ones for hospital based patients, and getting the patients tested to see which infection they have.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>One Health Approach:<\/strong> The environment plays a crucial role in the development, transmission, and spread of AMR. Therefore, the response must be based on a One Health approach, recognizing that humans, animals, plants, and the environment are interconnected and indivisible at the global, regional, and local levels.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Source :<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/health\/multi-centric-study-to-contain-antimicrobial-resistant-neonatal-sepsis-begins-in-india\/article71201226.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> In News\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The landmark NeoSep1 clinical trial, funded by the GARDP Foundation has expanded to India to address escalating rates of drug-resistant neonatal sepsis. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> More About the News <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The trial is especially important for India as the bacteria that cause newborn sepsis are not the same as in high-income countries.\u00a0 <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> While Group B Streptococcus is a major cause worldwide, in India, cases are primarily driven by drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. <\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/10-07-2026\/amr-neonatal-sepsis-india \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78877","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78877"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78877\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78879,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78877\/revisions\/78879"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78877"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}