Synopsis: In India, 70% of childhood diarrhoea cases receive unnecessary antibiotics, fueling antimicrobial resistance. A study in Karnataka and Bihar revealed a “know-do gap”: 62% of providers knowingly prescribe wrongly due to perceived patient expectations. Despite patients valuing kindness and affordability over antibiotics, fear of losing clients drives misuse, particularly among pharmacists and untrained practitioners.

Antimicrobial resistance threatens to render modern medicine powerless. Scientists warn of “superbugs” that no antibiotic can kill. Millions die each year from infections that once responded to treatment. Yet despite knowing these dangers, healthcare providers continue fueling the crisis.

To uncover why, researchers focused on childhood diarrhoea, a condition that s

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