A seminar on “Antibiotic Resistance: Renewed Fears” was organised jointly by All Institute of Medical Sciences and University College of Medical Sciences under the banner of American Society for Microbiology at the India International Centre here this past week. Dr. Rama Chaudhry, professor of Microbiology at AIIMS, and Dr. Ashwani Kumar, professor of Microbiology at UCMS, were the organising secretaries of the event.
The event was inaugurated by Dr. John Stelling, co-director of WHO Collaborating Centre for Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance based at the Brigham and Woman’s Hospital in Boston, while the guest of honour was Dr. Piotr Chlebicki, a senior consultant in the Department of Infectious Diseases at Singapore General Hospital.
Dr. Chaudhry said infections that have acquired resistance against commonly used therapeutics have emerged as a global health security concern with serious economic, social and political implications. Antimicrobial resistance is also now on the agenda at the United Nations General Assembly, which will be discussed in its upcoming meeting in New York, she added. Dr. Ashwani Kumar said if something urgent was not done the antibiotic revolution of 20th Century would crumble.
