Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Dr. Balbir Singh marks 97 years of Penicillin, calls for urgent action against antimicrobial resistance
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, September 27, 2025: On the 97th anniversary of the discovery of Penicillin, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh on Saturday stressed the urgent need to adopt an Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) approach to counter the rising threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
Earlier this month, on September 15, the Minister launched the Punjab State Action Plan for the Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance (PUNJAB-SAPCAR), making Punjab the seventh state in India—and the leading state in the region—to roll out a dedicated policy to curb the indiscriminate use of antibiotics.
“Penicillin, discovered 97 years ago, revolutionised modern medicine. It enabled antibiotics, antivirals, and antifungals that made complex procedures like organ transplants possible. But today, microbes have outsmarted us, developing resistance at an alarming pace, as research at PGI Chandigarh has shown. This AMR is one of the biggest challenges confronting medical science,” Dr. Singh said.
He cautioned that unless the trend is reversed, medical advances of the past century risk being undone. “We are losing effective antimicrobials faster than new ones are being developed. This means cheaper frontline drugs are failing, and doctors are forced to prescribe costlier alternatives even for routine infections,” he noted.
Punjab-SAPCAR incorporates the RIVERS framework, proposed by stakeholders including Fortis Hospital Mohali. This six-priority strategy focuses on surveillance, rational use of antibiotics, inter-sectoral coordination, and public awareness to comprehensively combat AMR.
Looking ahead, Dr. Singh expressed hope that by the 100th anniversary of Penicillin’s discovery in 2028, Punjab would be able to demonstrate significant progress in curbing AMR through collective action