Lok Sabha Question No. 2842 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-28
Subject: Use of Antibiotics
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: KALIKESH NARAYAN SINGH DEO

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2842 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 TH DECEMBER, 2018

## USE OF ANTIBIOTICS

## 2842. SHRI KALIKESH N. SINGH DEO:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of policy regarding use of antibiotics in the country;
- (b) whether the Government is taking any steps to tackle the emerging problem of Anti - Biotic Resistance (ABR) in the country;
- (c) if so , the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the Government is taking any steps to curb the unregulated overthe -coun er sales of antibiotics in pharmacy stores across the nation and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Ministry hosts any dedicated events to increase awareness among medical practitioners to prescribe antibiotics carefully and if so, the details reof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

(a) to (c): Government of India has given due cognizance to the problem Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and to tackle this issue ,the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has initiated various activities towards AMR containment as under: - of

- i. National Programme on Containment of AMR was initiated during the 12 th Five year plan  and  is  being  coordinated  by  National  Centre  for  Disease  Control  (NCDC) Under  the  programme ,AMR surveillance is being conducted by  NCDC through  a network of 20 state medical college laboratories in 18 States and the network is being expanded across the country in a phased manner.
- ii. Indian Council of Medical research (ICMR) is coordinating another surveillance network of 20 laboratories located in tertiary care centr es (both public and private) in the country.

AMR

- iii. Strengthening Infection Prevention and C ontr ol: Surveillance of Healthcare Associated  I nfections  (HAIs)  is  being  conducted  under  the  AIIMS -ICMR - NCDC network.
- iv. Interim National Infection Prevention control (IPC) guidelines have been disseminated for use by Health care facilities and are also uploaded on the N website.
- v. Surveillance for Antibiotic consumption :  NCDC has initiated antibiotic consumption studies in health care facilities in the country in 20 medic al colleges.
- vi. Antimicrobial  stewardship  (AMSP)  activities: In  order  to  promote  rational  use  of antibiotics  among  the  health  care  providers,  a  series  of  sensitization  and  t workshops have been organized in different Health care facilities in the cou ntry for the benefit of the practicing clinicians. Standard treatment guidelines develo NCDC for rational use of antibiotics have been made available to clinicians acros country . Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recently initia ted a project on strengthening AMSP in 30 sites.

(d): Sale  and  distribution  of  Drugs  are  regulated  under  the  provisions  of  Drugs Cosmetics Act, 1940 and rules, 1945 made thereunder in the country through licensing inspection.  License  for  sale  and  distr ibution  of  drugs  are  granted  by  State  Licensing Authorities  appointed  by  respective  State  Governments.  State  Licensing  Authorities empowered to take action against any violations of the conditions of license. The Stat Controllers  have  been  sensi tized  from  time  to  time  for  taking  policy  measures  including stringent regulatory action over the counter sale of antibiotics.

SinceMarch  2014,a  separate Schedule  H - 1 has  been  incorporated  in  Drug  and Cosmetic Rules to regulate the sale of antimicrobials in the country. About 24 antimic belonging  to  third/fourth  generation  cephalosporins  and  carbapenems  are  covered  in schedule. These antimicrobials cannot be sold without a proper medical prescription and their drug packaging requires the specific labelling along with red border.

Food safety and Standards authority of India ( FSSAI) ha s alsonotified the prescribed tolerance limits of antibiotics in different kinds of food of animal origin.

(e) : National  Action  Plan  for  Containment  of  AMR  (NAP - AMR) was  developed  by National C entre for Disease control (NCDC) involving stakeho lders from various ministries/s ectors  and  was  launched  by  Hon'ble Union  Minister  for  Health  and  Family Welfare  dated  19 th April  2017 .  S imultaneously,  a  Delhi  Declaration  on  AMR -an  inter -ministerial con se sus, was also signed by the M inisters of the concerned ministries pledging their whole hearted support in AMR conta inment. Since health is a state subject, states ar being supported to develop state action plans along the lines of NAP - AMR.

Further, t o create awareness among the public about AMR ,several IEC activi ties have been coordinated by NCDC along with other pa rtners to raise awareness about AMR among different stakeholders by way of organizing Public lectures, p a tici ating in Live programmes on Lok Sabha TV and Doordarshan, o rganizing AMR programme s in schools and colleges etc.