Current Affairs - Science - Discussion

In 2019, only 7.8% of patients in India suffering from carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative (CRGN) infections received the correct antibiotic treatment. This low percentage underscores a critical gap in healthcare infrastructure, particularly in diagnostic testing, standardized treatment protocols, and antibiotic availability. The study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, revealed that India fared only slightly better than the average of 6.9% across eight low- and middle-income countries. With nearly a million CRGN cases in India and fewer than one lakh treated appropriately, the result was approximately 3.5 lakh preventable deaths, highlighting an urgent need for improved access to effective antibiotics and robust stewardship programs.