Mon Nov 18 16:32:37 UTC 2024: ## Tamil Nadu Urged to Leverage COVID-19 Genomic Labs to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance
**Chennai, November 19, 2024** – Soumya Swaminathan, chairperson of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and former WHO official, has called on Tamil Nadu to utilize its existing COVID-19 genomic testing infrastructure to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Speaking at the inauguration of AMR Awareness Week, Dr. Swaminathan suggested analyzing effluents from pharmaceutical companies and hospitals to assess antibiotic overuse. She highlighted the success of wastewater surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic for detecting virus variants, arguing that similar methods could be employed to track AMR levels in water and soil samples.
Dr. Swaminathan emphasized the urgent need for action, citing the alarming statistic of 30,000 newborn deaths annually in Indian ICUs due to drug-resistant infections. She advocated for increased hospital infection surveillance with publicly available results and government grants to support the development of rapid diagnostic tests for AMR. She also suggested that India’s generic pharmaceutical companies, experienced in COVID-19 vaccine development, could play a crucial role in creating new antibiotics, with government support. Finally, she urged the Tamil Nadu One Health Committee to prioritize the development of a comprehensive AMR policy at its December 4th meeting. The event also showcased a new rapid diagnostic test for urinary tract infections currently undergoing validation at Anna University.
First Piper 