New Delhi (The Hawk): Government is aware about the challenges posed by anti-microbial resistance (AMR) in India and has taken following measures to address the issue:
AMR surveillance network has been strengthened by establishing labs in State Medical College. 36 sites in 26 States/UTs have been included in this network so far.
National action plan on containment of Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR) focusing on One Health approach was launched in April 2017 with the aim of involving various stakeholder ministries/departments. Delhi Declaration on AMR– an inter-ministerial consensus was signed by the ministers of the concerned ministries pledging their support in AMR containment.
AMR Surveillance Network: ICMR has established AMR surveillance and research network (AMRSN) comprising 30 tertiary care hospitals, both private and government to generate evidence and capture trends and patterns of drug resistant infections in the country.
AMR Research & International Collaboration: ICMR has taken initiatives to develop new drugs /medicines through international collaborations in order to strengthen medical research in AMR.
ICMR along with Research Council of Norway (RCN) initiated a joint call for research in antimicrobial resistance in 2017.
ICMR along with Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany has a joint Indo-German collaboration for research on AMR.
Government of India has taken following initiatives to increase awareness about antibiotics misuse:
ICMR has initiated antibiotic stewardship program (AMSP) on a pilot project basis in 20 tertiary care hospitals across India to control misuse and overuse of antibiotics in hospital wards and ICUs.
DCGI has banned 40 fixed dose combinations (FDCs) which were found inappropriate.
ICMR worked in collaboration with Indian Council of Agriculture Research, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries and the DCGI to ban use of Colistin as growth promoter in animal feed in poultry.
Various IEC activities like public conclave, poster and quiz competitions have been conducted by National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in schools, colleges and Health melas to create awareness about AMR, its containment & prevention and judicial use of antibiotics among the common public.
To raise awareness among the community and the health care providers, communication material includes posters, videos and radio jingles has been developed with emphasis on prevention of irrational use of antibiotics during viral-illnesses and also on infection prevention through hand hygiene to prevent spread of infections.
The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.