India Pharma Outlook Team | Tuesday, 01 September 2026
ICMR researchers reveal a clear mortality risk linked to drug-resistant infections in a major new study.
The findings show these infections raise death rates, treatment costs and hospital stays across Indian tertiary hospitals.
Antimicrobial resistance now claims more lives and resources than previously recognized. Doctors and policymakers must act on prevention, faster diagnosis and responsible antibiotic use.
The data come from a large multi-center analysis published in a leading medical journal. This evidence strengthens the urgent case for stronger infection-control measures nationwide.
The Indian Council of Medical Research analyses data from 1.6 lakh hospitalized patients treated at 20 tertiary-care hospitals between April 2022 and April 2025. Of these, 26,213 patients develop infections caused by four major Gram-negative bacteria: E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
A striking 61.1 per cent of these infections resist carbapenems. Researchers compare outcomes between resistant and susceptible strains of the same bacteria. Mortality stands higher in every resistant group:
Bacteria | Resistant Mortality | Susceptible Mortality |
K. pneumoniae | 31.2 per cent | 23.5 per cent |
E. coli | 24.4 per cent | 17.3 per cent |
A. baumannii | 37.9 per cent | 32.8 per cent |
P. aeruginosa | 28.9 per cent | 20.2 per cent |
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Drug-resistant infections drive up healthcare expenses. Antibiotic treatment costs run 1.1 to 2 times higher for resistant cases. Average costs per patient are:
Bacteria | Resistant Cost | Susceptible Cost |
E. coli | USD 420 | USD 211 |
K. pneumoniae | USD 587 | USD 505 |
A. baumannii | USD 655 | USD 436 |
P. aeruginosa | USD 702 | USD 510 |
Patients with resistant infections also stay longer in hospital. Those with resistant E. coli, for example, remain an average of 23.1 days compared with 17.8 days for susceptible cases.
ICMR senior scientist Dr Kamini Walia states that antimicrobial resistance already costs Indian lives. She stresses that solutions lie in better infection prevention, timely diagnostics and responsible antibiotic use rather than simply stronger drugs.
Critical-care specialists note that hospitals increasingly encounter carbapenem-resistant infections. Identifying the organism and its resistance pattern through conventional culture testing often takes several days. Molecular diagnostics can speed this process. Patients may need antibiotic combinations, further raising costs.
Researchers caution that the study covers tertiary hospitals treating many critically ill and referred patients. Findings therefore do not reflect performance of individual hospitals. The results nevertheless underline the need for stronger antimicrobial-resistance surveillance, infection-control practices, antimicrobial stewardship and timely access to effective medicines.
The ICMR study delivers clear evidence that drug-resistant infections raise mortality risk and strain healthcare resources. Higher death rates, elevated treatment costs and longer hospital stays create a heavy burden on patients and the system.
India must accelerate infection-prevention measures, expand rapid diagnostic capacity and enforce responsible antibiotic prescribing. Hospitals, clinicians and the public share responsibility for preserving the effectiveness of existing antibiotics. Without sustained action, the mortality and economic impact of antimicrobial resistance will continue to grow. The findings provide a strong foundation for policy and clinical reforms that can save lives and reduce avoidable healthcare costs.
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