Nepal, Aug. 9 -- Many people have heard about antibiotics, but do not precisely know what this medicine is and how it works, let alone what antimicrobial resistance (AMR) means. Yet, many have wondered why some infections become difficult to treat, even when antimicrobials are available. Do antimicrobials always work against infections? The fact remains that infectious agents, such as bacteria, do spontaneously develop resistance over time. But this process can be accelerated when bacteria are repeatedly exposed to antimicrobials, including through unnecessary or inappropriate use.

For the past several years, studies have consistently shown that Nepal, like other South Asian countries, experiences excessive and inappropriate use of antim...