Aligarh: Professor Asad U. Khan, Director, Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), Aligarh Muslim University, delivered the 17th Naseem Ansari Oration on World Health Day at the Ibn Sina Academy, where he shared insights into his ground-breaking discovery of the “NDelhi Metallo-Beta-Lactamase-4” (NDM-4) superbug.
In his lecture, Professor Khan simplified the complex subject for the general audience, stressing that the NDM-4 strain is a formidable antibiotic-resistant bacterium posing a serious public health threat. He emphasised the urgent need to develop new antibiotics and encouraged responsible use of existing medications.
Highlighting that the superbug was first identified in Aligarh’s sewage water in 2014, he described it as a highly adaptive organism capable of neutralising even the most powerful antibiotics and spreading rapidly. He pointed out that unsanitary conditions and environmental pollution contribute to the spread of such superbugs, and warned that indiscriminate use of antibiotics is accelerating this crisis. He also informed the audience that his research team is currently working on developing a new drug to address this issue, and their efforts have already received national and international recognition. Emphasising the importance of community involvement, he said, “Health is our most valuable asset, and to safeguard it, we must work together as a society.”
The oration commemorates the life and legacy of Professor M. Naseem Ansari, an eminent surgeon and academician who served as Chairman of the Department of Surgery at AMU for about six years and contributed to medical education globally as Visiting Professor in Libya and Malaysia. He also represented India in various academic and administrative capacities and authored the book Jawab-e-Dost.
Also speaking on the occasion was Professor S.M. Safdar Ashraf, former Chairman, Department of Hifzan-e-Sehat, AK Tibbiya College, AMU, who delivered a lecture aligned with the World Health Day theme.
The programme, held under the patronage of Padma Shri Professor Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, witnessed participation from students, teachers, and healthcare professionals who engaged in thoughtful discussion on the intersection of health, environment, and public responsibility.
