PM cautions people against indiscriminate use of antibiotics

Flagging the issue of antibiotic resistance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people not to take such medicines without consulting a doctor.
In his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio address, Modi said the Indian Council of Medical Research recently released a report which said antibiotics were proving ineffective against many diseases like pneumonia and Urinary Tract Infections. “This is a matter of great concern for all of us,” he said.
According to the report, Modi said, a major reason for this is people’s indiscriminate use of antibiotics. He said antibiotics are not medicines that can be taken mindlessly. He said the medicines should be used only on the doctor’s advice. “Nowadays, people have started believing that just taking a pill would cure all their problems. This is the reason diseases and infections are proving to be too strong for these antibiotics.
“I urge all of you to refrain from using medicines at your own discretion… I would simply say: Medicines require guidance, and antibiotics require doctors. This practice will prove to be very helpful in improving your health,” he said.