CM Revanth Reddy to inaugurate the three-day G-SPARC 2024

Chief Minister to launch the state AMR plan during the conference. Just six states in India have this plan in place and once the plan is launched Telangana will be the 7th state in India

The Telangana Chief Minister Shri A Revanth Reddy, is to be the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the prestigious three-day conference Global South Conference on Infection Prevention, Control and Antimicrobial Stewardship.

Shri Damodar Rajanarsimha, the Minister for Health and Family Welfare will be the guest of honour.

Shri Revanth Reddy will inaugurate the conference and launch the state AMR Plan.  Six states in India have this plan in place and once the plan is unveiled by the Chief Minister during the conference, Telangana is going to be the 7th state in India to have AMR plan in place.

The three-day conference will be held at Shilpakala Vedika in Hitech City, Madhapur in the city from 3rd to 5th October Dr Ranga Reddy Burri, President, Infection Control Academy and Chair, G-SPARC and R. Govind Hari, Chairman of the Pragyaan Sustainable Health Outcomes Foundation (PRASHO), and Co-chair, G-SPARC informed in a press conference held on Monday in the city.

The objective of the conference, according to them, is to provide a platform for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Patient Safety stakeholders from Global South (resource-limited countries in Asia, Africa, Middle East, South America) to collaborate for better policies, research, tailored solutions and practices on IPC, AMS and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) and pandemic preparedness.

The organizers highlighted that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) impacts people of all ages and transcends borders, affecting every country. However, the burden is disproportionately heavier on developing nations and vulnerable populations. This necessitates tailored solutions to address the unique challenges faced by the Global South. Therefore, collaborative efforts and South-South cooperation are essential in tackling global health threats like AMR.

Some of the prominent speakers at the conference include Dr Anuj Sharma, WHO India Office; Prof Chedly Azzouz, Chairperson, Infection Control Africa Network; Prof. (Dr.) Atul Goel, DGHS & Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC); Ms Shailaja Teacher, MLA and Former-Health Minister, Govt of Kerala

G-SPARC 2024 is organized by the Infection Control Academy of India (IFCAI), University of Hyderabad (UoH), and Pragyaan Sustainable Health Outcomes Foundation (PRASHO) with support from more than a hundred distinguished partners from academia, industry, healthcare organizations, and professional associations.

Addressing a press conference at FTCCI in Red Hills Dr Ranga Reddy said, covid is nothing compared to ‘AMR”.  Covid had a beginning and end.  AMR is not like that.  It is a slow pandemic and it will be an eternal pandemic. 

Due to the excessive usage of Antibiotics, even easily treatable diseases like Typhoid have become impossible to treat.  AMR is invisible.  5 million have already died due to this and several million will be losing their lives.

Due to the ineffectiveness of the antibiotics, every second infection treatment is failing in India and Africa, Ranga Reddy said. 

AMR is threatening our health systems in ways that we cannot even imagine. This silent pandemic is the indiscriminate usage of antibiotics. Eight lakh people are dying each year in India because of not being treated with antibiotics. And this is likely to increase by 10 million deaths each year. This number may go up to 1 crore by 2050. Modern medicine may be in danger of extinction due to bacterial resistance infections. The excessive use of Antibiotics and PainKillers is very dangerous. Since 1929 when Prof Alexander Fleming discovered antibiotics i.e Penicillin, within 90-plus years different types of antibiotics were developed/produced. Now we are using the 6th generation of Antibiotics. Minimize the use of antibiotics and painkillers. We need to seek alternative measures, he said. The experts attending G-SPARC 2024 will deliberate these many other things, he added.

Dr Ranga Reddy and Govind Hari welcomed the Nations General Assembly (UNGA)'s recent decision to reduce human deaths from AMR by 10% by 2030

The outcome marks a significant milestone in our fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), they added

AMR containment is everyone’s business.  Every citizen has a role to play in protecting the efficacy of antibiotics

An action plan on AMR by the state government will be released during the conference.  A white paper on pandemic preparedness, prevention of pandemics etc will be released at the end of the conference. 

The Government of Telangana recognised the importance of this conference and sponsored the venue, ‘Shilpakalavedika’, informed R. Govind Hari

Over 1600 (sixteen hundred) delegates are expected to participate and deliberate.