However, frontline infectious disease experts reported a contradictory surge. Ameet Dravid warned that the indiscriminate prescription of potent antibiotics like levofloxacin for minor infections was fueling resistance. “Pune is now mirroring Mumbai’s high MDR-TB trends,” he noted, urging general physicians to curb antibiotic misuse.The disease’s demographics are also shifting. Dr. Piyush Chaudhari and Dr. Sujata Rege highlight an increase in extrapulmonary and mono-drug resistant TB among affluent, working-age patients. These cases are harder to diagnose, often requiring biopsies, and do not always respond to standard treatments. While govt initiatives like CB-NAAT testing have improved detection, clinicians emphasized that patient non-compliance remained a major hurdle.Nationally, India is battling AMR by integrating mandatory resistance testing and transitioning to safer, all-oral treatment regimens. While official figures suggest progress, the medical community maintained that antibiotic misuse continued to undermine the fight against this evolving health crisis.
