Lok Sabha Question No. 1940 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-21
Subject: Superbugs
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: R. GOPALAKRISHNAN

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1940 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 ST DECEMBER, 2018

## SUPERBUGS

## 1940. SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN:

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that superbugs kill more in India than globally and the mortality percent owing to drugresistant bacteria;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to contain deaths due to superbugs and create awareness among the public?

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

- (a) & (b):Antibiotic resistant bacteria are found globally including in India. It is also a fact that antibiotic resistant bacteria do account for higher morbidity as well as mortality. We do any country data to substantiate that these pathogens account for 13% mortality.
- (c): Government  of  India  has  given  due  cognizance  to  the  problem  of 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: -
- 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 t programme,AMR surveillance is being conducted by NCDC through a network of 20 state medical college laboratories in 18 S tates.    T he network is being expanded across the country in a phased manner.
- ii. Indian Council of Medical research (ICMR) is coordinating another AMR surveillanc network of 20 laboratories located in tertiary care centres (both public and private) in the country.
- iii. Strengthening  Infection  prevention  and  control:  Surveillance  of  Healthcare  assoc infections (HAIs) is being conducted under the AIIMS -ICMR - NCDC network.

- iv. InterimNational  Infection  Prevention  control  (IPC)  guidelines      have  been  drafted NCDC and disseminated for use by Health care facilities and are also uploaded on NCDC website. The updated National IPC guidelines are in process of finalisation will be made available to all health care Institutions in the country for implementati
- v. Surveillance  for Antibiotic  consumption :    NCDC  has  initiated  antibiotic  consumption studies in health care facilities in the country in 20 medical colleges.
- vi. Antimicrobial  s tewardship  (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 country benefit of the p racticing clinicians. Standard treatment guidelines developed by NCDC for rational use of antibiotics have been made available to clinicians across the ICMR has  recently initiated a project on strengthening  AMSP in 30 sites.
- vii. Strengthening  regula tions : Since March  2014, a  separate Schedule  H - 1 has  been incorporated in Drug and Cosmetic Rules to regulate the sale of antimicrobials i country. About 24 antimicrobials belonging to third/fourth generation cephalosporin carbapenems are covered in the schedule. These antimicrobials cannot be sold without proper medical prescription and their drug packaging requires the specific labellin with red border.
- viii. Strengthening  Regulations  in  F ood:  Food  safety  and  Standards  A uthority  of  India ( FSS AI) ha s notified the prescribed tolerance limits of antibiotics in different food of animal origin.
- ix. National Action Plan for Containment of AMR (NAP - AMR) was developed by National Centre for Disease C ontrol involving stakeholders from various ministries/ sectors a was launched by Hon'ble Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare on 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 M inistries pledging their whole hearted support in AMR containment. Since health is a state subject, states are being suppo develop state action plans along the lines of NAP -AMR.

Further, to create awareness among the public about AMR several IEC activi ties have been coordinated  by National C entre for Disease C ontrol (NCDC) along with other partners to raise awareness about AMR among different stakeholders by way of organizing Public lectures, participating  in  l ve  pro grammes  on  Lok  Sabha  TV  and  Doordarshan,  Organizing  AMR programmes in schools and colleges etc.  NCDC under MoHFW is in theprocess of finalising the IEC material for Nationwide IEC activities to raise awareness about AMR and to pre misuse of antibioti cs.

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