[Answered] Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global health threat. Analyze how improved immunization coverage can aid in mitigating AMR in India under the ‘One Health’ framework. (250 words)

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a pressing global health issue, with overuse and misuse of antibiotics driving its rise. In India, a country with high antibiotic consumption and significant healthcare disparities, the role of vaccines is critical in mitigating AMR. Vaccines such as the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and Haemophilus influenzae vaccine (Hib) can reduce disease burden, antibiotic misuse, and AMR risk, especially when implemented under the ‘One Health’ framework integrating human, animal, and environmental health.

How Improved Immunization Coverage Can Mitigate AMR

• Reduction in Disease Burden: Diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, including pneumonia, otitis media, and meningitis, lead to high antibiotic use.
• Curbing Unnecessary Antibiotic Use: Unvaccinated children are more likely to suffer from preventable infections, leading to antibiotic misuse, even for viral or self-limiting conditions. Enhanced immunization directly reduces the need for antibiotics, slowing the emergence of AMR strains.
• Equitable Antibiotic Usage: While antibiotic consumption reduction is most pronounced in wealthier groups due to affordability, vaccination ensures that even economically disadvantaged groups benefit from reduced disease burden, leading to more equitable antibiotic usage.
• Impact on Livestock and Zoonotic Diseases: Under the ‘One Health’ approach, expanding vaccination programs to livestock can reduce the need for antibiotics in animal husbandry, addressing AMR in both humans and animals.
• Environmental Protection: By reducing antibiotic consumption, vaccination indirectly minimizes antibiotic residues in the environment, curtailing the proliferation of resistant strains in water and soil.

Conclusion

Vaccination is a vital, yet underutilized, tool in India’s fight against AMR. Increasing coverage of PCV and Hib vaccines can prevent illnesses, reduce unnecessary antibiotic use, and promote equitable healthcare access. Under the ‘One Health’ framework, integrating immunization with efforts to address human, animal, and environmental health can significantly mitigate AMR, safeguarding public health for future generations.