Antibiotic-resistant infections rising at alarming rate within country: Health Minister

Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain has said that antibiotic-resistant infections are increasing at an alarming rate across the country, describing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as one of the country’s fastest-growing public health challenges.

Responding to a question in Parliament on Thursday (June 25), the minister said the growing misuse and overuse of antibiotics, weak infection-control practices, and the uncontrolled use of antimicrobial drugs in both human and animal sectors have accelerated the spread of drug-resistant bacteria across the country.

He cautioned that the rise of antibiotic resistance is making medical treatment increasingly complex and poses a serious threat to public health, as common infections could become significantly harder to treat in the future.

To address the challenge, the government is implementing a range of measures aimed at strengthening the detection, surveillance and management of antimicrobial resistance. These include the implementation of a national AMR action plan, expansion of nationwide surveillance programmes, and the adoption of a “One Health” approach that integrates human, animal and environmental health sectors.

The minister said microbiology laboratories are being upgraded in government medical colleges and specialised hospitals, while diagnostic capacity for bacterial identification and culture-sensitivity testing is being expanded through modern equipment, laboratory supplies and workforce training.

The country is also strengthening infection prevention and control (IPC) systems and rolling out antimicrobial stewardship programmes to promote the responsible use of antibiotics.

In addition, research initiatives are being conducted to identify resistance trends, assess risk factors and develop effective prevention strategies.

The health minister stressed that public awareness remains a key pillar in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, urging people to avoid taking antibiotics without medical advice and to complete prescribed treatment courses.

Public health experts have repeatedly warned that unless urgent action is taken, antimicrobial resistance could undermine decades of medical progress and turn routine infections into potentially life-threatening conditions.