India struggles to treat deadly Superbug infections following antibiotic access crisis: Study
New Delhi: A new global study has revealed a troubling gap in the treatment of deadly superbug infections across low- and middle-income countries, with India bearing the brunt of the crisis. Of the nations under study, India purchases 80% of the whole antibiotic courses. Only 7.8% of the anticipated instances of drug-resistant illnesses were successfully treated.
The Lancet Infectious Diseases has released a study conducted by the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) in eight countries, including Brazil, South Africa and India. About 1.5 million cases of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative (CRGN) bacterial infections were studied in the report.
Only 6.9% of patients across all eight countries received appropriate treatment. India recorded the highest number of cases and also a massive shortfall in access to effective drugs. Tigecycline, one of the few antibiotics effective against CRGN infections, was the most widely used but remained vastly under-procured.
Doctors warn that these infections are increasingly common in hospitals, especially in intensive care units which often prove fatal due to lack of effective treatment.
“In our hospitals, we regularly see patients for whom no antibiotic works,” said Dr Abdul Ghafur, infectious disease specialist at Apollo Hospital, Chennai. “Many of them do not survive.”
Experts blame the treatment gap on poor access, high drug costs, limited diagnostic testing, and weak health infrastructure. The study calls for improved access to affordable antibiotics, tighter regulation to prevent overuse and coordinated procurement models to reduce costs.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
