Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is one of the gravest silent threats confronting humanity today. Each year, millions of lives are lost either directly due to drug-resistant infections or in circumstances where AMR plays a decisive contributing role. The relentless rise of resistance is largely driven by the misuse, overuse, and irrational prescription of antibiotics — a pattern that has become deeply entrenched across healthcare settings worldwide. This crisis is made all the more alarming by the stark reality that very few new antibiotic molecules are in the pipeline, leaving us increasingly vulnerable as existing drugs lose their potency.

Addressing AMR is no longer a distant priority — it is an immediate and urgent imperative for every member of the medical fraternity.

I am proud to be part of an organisation that has consistently stood at the forefront of this challenge. The Indian Medical Association has long championed initiatives aligned with national and global efforts to combat AMR, and this Online Certificate Course is yet another testament to that commitment. I am delighted to endorse this significant joint initiative of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research (BIHER), Chennai — a programme that is both timely and vital.

The course offers a comprehensive grounding in best practices for antibiotic prescribing across a wide range of common infections and clinical conditions. The curriculum has been meticulously crafted to equip medical practitioners across the country with the knowledge, clinical reasoning, and practical skills essential for rational antibiotic use and effective antimicrobial stewardship. Participants will gain evidence-based insights that can be directly and immediately applied in day-to-day clinical practice — making a real difference to patient outcomes and to public health at large.

I warmly and strongly encourage all practising physicians, postgraduate students, and healthcare professionals to avail themselves of this excellent educational opportunity and to actively contribute to our collective fight against drug-resistant infections.

Let us join hands in ensuring that we never find ourselves in a world where common infections can no longer be treated — a pre-antibiotic era that claimed countless lives and that our forebears worked so hard to leave behind. The clinical choices we make today will shape the world our patients and their families inherit tomorrow.