Lok Sabha Question No. 2767 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-13
Subject: Misuse of Antibiotics in Poultry Farms
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: G. HARI, CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI, RAMDAS CHANDRABHANJI TADAS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, DAIRYING AND FISHERIES

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2767

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 13 TH  MARCH, 2018

## MISUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN POULTRY FARMS

## 2767     SHRI G. HARI SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI SHRI RAMDAS C. TADAS

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether it is true that rampant misuse of antibiotics in poultry farms is leading to large scale antibiotic resistance  because  of  unsafe  disposal  of  poultry  litter  and  waste  in  agricultural  land,  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b)  whether it is true that a study has found  that misuse of antibiotics in animals and birds is leading to proliferation of multidrug resistance bacteria which has a potential to infect human beings;
- (c)  if so, whether it is true that anti-microbial resistance threatens effective prevention and treatment of an ever increasing range of infectious diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, urinary tract infection and HIV etc;
- (d)  whether it is also true that in the country an additional two million lives can be lost by 2050 due to drug resistance, if so the details thereof; and
- (e)  whether the Government proposes to fix some strict norms in this regard, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE (SHRIMATI  KRISHNA RAJ)

- (a)        No systematic data is available presently on the subject.  As per information provided by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), isolated study reports by non-governmental organizations especially on poultry, reported antibiotic resistant bacteria developed over time and/ or the antibiotic  resistance  determinants  which  could  probably  pose  serious  implications  to  public  health. However, the use of poultry litter and waste in agriculture land is not only the main cause of antibiotic resistance.
- (b) and (c)  Antibiotics in animals are used for therapeutic treatment only, whenever, required.  As per information  provided  by  the  National  Centre  for  Disease  Control  (NCDC),  Ministry  of  Health  and Family Welfare, there are many global studies which show that the misuse of antibiotics in animals and birds, especially poultry, is leading to proliferation of multidrug resistance bacteria which has a potential to  infect  human  beings.  Many  studies  have  shown  that  antimicrobial  resistance  threatens  effective prevention  and  treatment  of  an  ever-increasing  range  of  infectious  diseases  like  tuberculosis,  malaria, urinary tract infection and HIV etc.
- (d)              The  ICAR  and  NCDC  have  informed  that  a  review  by  Jim  O'Neill  and  colleagues  on 'Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Tackling a Crisis for the Health and Wealth of Nations', have estimated that unless effective action is taken, drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis (TB), malaria, HIV and certain bacterial infections could by 2050 claim 10 million lives each year globally.  However there is no such data available pertaining to India.
- (e) Antimicrobial resistance is a dynamic phenomenon. For the effective cure of animal disease conditions based on the antibiotic sensitivity pattern, use of antibiotics in animals is necessary. The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries  has issued advisories to all State/UTs for judicious use of antibiotics in treatment of food producing animals, for stopping the use of antibiotics in animal feed and for  general  awareness.    As  per  the  Global  Action  Plan  on  Tackling  AMR,  India  has  also  developed National Action Plan on AMR in April 2017, under which Animal Husbandry is also participating.