New Delhi, June 5 -- The National Medical Commission's (NMC) recent advisory mandating strict adherence to safe injection practices is not just another compliance circular. It is a direct response to preventable outbreaks of HIV, Hepatitis B (HBV), and Hepatitis C (HCV) caused by unsafe reuse of syringes, needles, and other single-use medical devices.

Despite decades of evidence and repeated warnings from the World Health Organisation (WHO), unsafe injection practices persist in India under the guise of "cost-saving." This false economy has led to catastrophic consequences: avoidable infections, lifelong treatment costs, and erosion of public trust in healthcare systems.

The NMC advisory makes clear that single-use devices must never be...