Greater Noida, 24th November 2025: Marking World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) 2025, ShardaCare Healthcity, a leading multispecialty hospital in North India, has launched a community-focused awareness initiative to address one of the biggest global health threats of our time - Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). The global theme for 2025, “Act Now – Protect Our Present, Secure Your Future,” highlights the urgent need for coordinated action across healthcare, and community settings, to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics and safeguard future generations.

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites stop responding to medicines, making common infections harder to treat and routine medical procedures riskier. Driven by misuse such as unnecessary antibiotic use for viral illnesses, self-medication, incomplete courses, overuse in livestock, and poor hygiene. AMR is rapidly becoming a community crisis, affecting homes, schools, workplaces, and farms. According to the WHO, AMR is among the top global health threats, already causing over 1.2 million deaths annually and projected to surpass cancer-related deaths by 2050 if urgent action is not taken.

To address this growing crisis, ShardaCare Healthcity is amplifying community education on Antimicrobial Stewardship - the responsible use of antibiotics in the right dose, duration, and only when medically necessary. The initiative encourages citizens to avoid self-medication, resist demanding antibiotics from doctors, adopt proper hygiene, get vaccinated, avoid sharing medicines, ensure safe disposal of unused drugs, and use antibiotics for animals only under veterinary guidance.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Anil Kumar, Senior Consultant & Head, Medical ICU, ShardaCare Healthcity, said, “Antimicrobial Resistance is an invisible pandemic that is spreading silently in our homes and communities. Misuse of antibiotics whether through self-medication, incomplete courses, or using them for viral infections is making bacteria stronger and medicines weaker. If we do not act now, we risk entering a post-antibiotic era where even minor infections or routine surgeries could become life-threatening. Each one of us has a role to play in preserving the effectiveness of these life-saving medicines.” He further added, “Simple steps like hand hygiene, vaccination, avoiding unnecessary antibiotics, and spreading awareness within families can collectively make a huge difference. AMR is not just a medical problem - it is a societal problem, and we need immediate, united action to secure a safer future generation.”

Commenting on the initiative, Dr. Kousar Shah, Group CEO, ShardaCare Healthcity, said, “At ShardaCare Healthcity, we are committed to driving awareness and championing responsible antibiotic use. Through this initiative, we aim to empower the public with accurate information and encourage behavioural change across households and communities. Tackling AMR requires collective responsibility from healthcare providers to policymakers to every individual. By promoting antimicrobial stewardship, strengthening infection control, and educating the community, we hope to safeguard the power of antibiotics and protect future generations.”