ECHO India, a non-profit trust dedicated to strengthening health systems through capacity building, has launched a three-year Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (AMSP) to combat the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in India. The initiative, inaugurated at the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), will be piloted in Punjab and Andhra Pradesh, engaging 400 healthcare professionals from tertiary care centres to promote rational antibiotic use and infection prevention.
Recognised as a major public health challenge, AMR is driven by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, leading to drug-resistant pathogens. Using ECHO’s hub-and-spoke model, the program will mentor healthcare workers, guide clinical practices, and develop master trainers to lead large-scale stewardship initiatives.
The launch event brought together key health leaders and experts, including Maj. Gen. (Dr) Atul Kotwal, Executive Director, NHSRC; Dr. Ranga Reddy Burri, President, Infection Control Academy of India; Dr. Sangeeta Sharma, President, Delhi Society for Promotion of Rational Use of Drugs; Dr. Nusrat Shafiq, Professor, Clinical Pharmacology, PGIMER; and Dr. Anuj Sharma, Technical Lead, WHO India, alongside state health teams from Punjab and Andhra Pradesh.
Maj. Gen. (Dr) Kotwal stressed the urgency of sustainable action, stating that AMR undermines the tools of modern medicine and demands immediate, scalable, and cost-effective solutions. Dr. Sangeeta Sharma underscored the need to integrate stewardship with infection control, surveillance, and rational drug policies. Dr. (Col) Kumud Rai, Chairperson and Managing Trustee, ECHO India, highlighted the importance of collective action, envisioning nationwide expansion to ensure equitable access to knowledge and best practices.
The event served as a platform for aligning strategies, sharing challenges, and exploring mentorship models to embed sustainable stewardship practices, safeguarding antibiotic effectiveness and improving health outcomes for the future.