Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, May 30: The Karnataka Department of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with the Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, has launched a scientific surveillance initiative to identify and monitor Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) across all districts of the state.

The initiative aims to generate scientific data to support evidence-based policy decisions, strengthen public health preparedness and improve long-term health outcomes for people in Karnataka.

Antimicrobial resistance is increasingly being recognised as one of the most serious emerging public health threats globally. It reduces the effectiveness of antibiotics and contributes to severe infections, prolonged hospitalisation, rising healthcare costs and preventable deaths.

Under the programme, systematic collection and analysis of samples will be carried out at selected surveillance sites across the state. The exercise is expected to provide a clearer understanding of resistance patterns, emerging microbial threats and geographical variations in antimicrobial resistance.

Officials said the findings would help strengthen antibiotic stewardship programmes, improve infection prevention measures and guide targeted public health interventions.

Dr Swethavalli Raghavan, advisor to the Karnataka government on Antimicrobial Resistance, said India continues to face significant gaps in real-time surveillance.

“Karnataka now has an opportunity to lead the country by building a scientifically rigorous, governance-integrated antimicrobial resistance surveillance ecosystem capable of informing rapid, evidence-based interventions,” she said.

The initiative is expected to play a key role in enhancing the state's capacity to detect and respond to antimicrobial resistance, a growing challenge for healthcare systems worldwide.