Minister calls for joint efforts to fight antimicrobial resistance

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday called for greater coordination and collaboration between the government, academia, big pharma, and startups to combat Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). He stressed that data-driven and technology solutions would strengthen the government's efforts in fighting AMR. Speaking to startups and researchers at the Bangalore Bioincubation Centre, Rao highlighted new opportunities, encouraging them to think outside the box and "act now," in line with this year's World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week theme, "Educate, Advocate, Act Now." Rao explained that AMR is a challenge at the intersection of human health, animal health, and environmental sustainability, requiring a coordinated multi-sector approach to curb its spread.

"More data and tech-driven solutions will strengthen our efforts to fight AMR," the Health Minister said, reiterating the need for greater coordination between the government, academia, big pharma, and startups. "The urgency of AMR has only grown in recent years. We are on the brink of a world where even routine infections could become deadly, where simple surgeries carry unpredictable risks, and where diseases we thought were under control like tuberculosis, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections are becoming harder to treat," Rao added.