22.09.2025

Health and Welfare

Context

India’s healthcare and welfare challenges reflect a mix of emerging medical threats and pharmaceutical developments. Two pressing issues dominate recent discussions: the rise of Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR), a global health crisis, and the inclusion of GLP-1 drugs in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Essential Medicine List, aiming to improve access to life-saving and life-improving medicines.

Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR)

AMR is one of the most critical global health challenges of the 21st century.
 Key Insights:

• Definition: AMR occurs when antibiotics are misused or overused, allowing bacteria to adapt and develop resistance, making standard treatments ineffective.
   
• Global Threat: WHO ranks AMR among the 10 greatest global health threats.
   
• Impact: Annually, AMR is responsible for 5 million deaths worldwide.
   
• Indian Context:
   
  • India prescribes over 500 million antibiotic doses annually.
     
  • In 70% of childhood diarrhea cases, antibiotics are inappropriately given, despite viral origins requiring no antibiotics.
     
• Cause: A significant knowledge and awareness gap persists in India regarding the proper use of antibiotics.
   

GLP-1 Drugs and WHO Essential Medicine List

The WHO’s decision to include GLP-1 drugs in its Essential Medicine List marks a milestone for global healthcare accessibility.
 Key Aspects:

• Purpose of Listing: To make these drugs affordable and widely available, especially in countries like India where they are currently very costly.
   
• Examples of Drugs:
   
  • Semaglutide
     
  • Dulaglutide
     
  • Liraglutide
     
  • Tirzepatide
     
• Medical Use:
   
  • Control blood sugar levels in Type 2 Diabetes patients.
     
  • Reduce body weight.
     
  • Improve cardiometabolic health.
     
• Mechanism of Action:
   
  • Mimic two natural gut hormones: GLP-1 (Glucagon-like peptide 1) and GIP (Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide).
     
  • These hormones regulate digestion, blood sugar, and appetite.
     
  • The drugs send signals to the brain that the stomach is full, thereby reducing food intake, controlling blood sugar spikes, and aiding weight loss.
     

Conclusion

India’s health and welfare sector faces a dual challenge: managing public health threats like AMR, which demand stricter antibiotic stewardship, and ensuring equitable access to breakthrough medicines like GLP-1 drugs. Addressing these issues requires a mix of public awareness campaigns, policy interventions, and global cooperation to protect populations from preventable deaths while expanding access to advanced medical treatments.