Mental health must receive attention amid modern lifestyle pressures: Gujarat Health Minister

Gandhinagar, Aug 22 (IANS) Greater awareness of depression and mental stress is needed alongside efforts to protect people from infectious diseases, Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said on Saturday as he inaugurated the 16th annual conference of the Clinical Infectious Diseases Society (CIDS) at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.

Speaking at CIDSCON 2026, being held on the theme “Addressing AMR: From Awareness to Action”, Pansheriya said mental well-being and physical health must receive equal attention, particularly amid the pressures of modern lifestyles and the impact of global infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

He stressed the need to create greater awareness about serious issues such as depression and mental stress and to address them appropriately.

Maintaining mental resilience, he said, had become increasingly important in the present circumstances.

The minister also raised concern over the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, particularly the prescription of high-dose or stronger antibiotics for minor and common illnesses at small clinics.

“Such practices could become a major public health threat in the future. The state government would soon organise a statewide awareness programme involving doctors from different systems of medicine, including allopathic, Ayurvedic and homoeopathic practitioners, to address inappropriate antibiotic use,” he said.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme, he said self-medication without medical advice is reducing the effectiveness of antibiotics even in common infections such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections.

He urged doctors to educate patients about the importance of completing the prescribed course of antibiotics rather than stopping treatment midway.

“The fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could not be left to the Health Department alone and required the collective responsibility of doctors, hospitals, pharmacists and citizens,” he said.

He stressed the need to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship programmes and infection-control systems in hospitals.

He also said Gujarat is strengthening early-warning surveillance and laboratory-based monitoring through digital platforms such as the Gujarat State AMR Surveillance Network and the AMR Dashboard to help identify and control diseases in time.

Pansheriya said doctors attending the conference would use the new knowledge and research emerging from CIDSCON 2026 to provide better, more effective treatment to patients in their respective fields.

He also congratulated the organisers for conducting the conference.

CIDS president Dr Subramanian Swaminathan highlighted the importance of specialised infectious disease expertise, recalling a recent case involving an 11-year-old patient who had suffered from a severe, resistant infection for nearly 11 years and had undergone treatment at several places without success.

According to Dr Swaminathan, their team took up the patient’s case, and a clinical pharmacologist prepared a specialised treatment. The child subsequently made a complete recovery.

“The patient returned to meet us with a smile after making a complete recovery. This demonstrates that when it comes to drug resistance and complex diseases, our specialised expertise can bring about a major positive change in the lives of ordinary citizens,” he said.

Dr Swaminathan said CIDS has benefited from the contributions of senior mentors who have provided their time and guidance over the past 20 years.

“The younger generation of doctors had the advantage of learning from these experienced specialists, and the importance of collaboration among microbiologists, pharmacists, nurses, public health professionals and administrators is a must,” he said.

Organising chairman Dr Atul Patel said infectious diseases are continually evolving and creating new challenges for the medical community.

With human, animal and environmental health interconnected, he said the concept of ‘One Health’ had become indispensable.

Dr Patel said AMR was no longer a hypothetical threat but a reality encountered in everyday clinical practice. He warned that developments in modern medicine, including complex surgeries and cancer immunotherapy, could be jeopardised by antibiotic failure.

“Doctors needed to ensure accurate diagnosis before prescribing antibiotics, strengthen microbiology services, select the appropriate medicine at the correct dosage and for the right duration, and place greater emphasis on infection prevention,” he said.

Pansheriya and other officials also released the book ‘Antimicrobial Stewardship Program’ during the inaugural programme.

CIDS secretary Dr Neha Gupta, treasurer Dr Kavitha, scientific chairperson Dr Tanu Singhal, co-organising chairman Dr Harsh Toshniwal and other officials and organisers attended the event.

Infectious disease specialists, researchers, microbiologists and physicians from India and countries including the United States and Singapore are participating in the conference.

–IANS

mys/dan