Lok Sabha Question No. 797 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-07
Subject: Prevalence of Antimicrobial Resistance
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Kalanidhi Veeraswamy

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOKSABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 797 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2025

## PREVALENCE OF ANTIMICROBIALRESISTANCE

## 797. DR. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the growing concern of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to combat AMR including awareness programs, regulations on the use of antibiotics and research initiatives in the country;
- (c) the data on the prevalence of AMR in the country, including any national surveys/studies conducted during the last 3 years, year-wise;
- (d) whether the Government has set any targets to reduce AMR in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the financial allocation for AMR research and initiatives during the last two years, yearwise?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) to (d): The Government is aware of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in the country. Antimicrobial Resistance is a natural slow process in which the bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. To address the issue of AMR, Government has taken various steps to contain AMR. The details are at Annexure.

Reports developed on the basis of AMR data received form surveillance sites have been uploaded at National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) website:https://ncdc.mohfw.gov.in/reports.

- (e): Budget allocated for National Programme on AMR Containment in last two years is as below: (in crore rupees)

| Year    |   Budget Allocated |
|---------|--------------------|
| 2022-23 |               7.76 |
| 2023-24 |               5.47 |

The budget allocated for AMR Research in the last two years is as below:

(in crore rupees)

| Year    |   Budget Allocated |
|---------|--------------------|
| 2022-23 |               7.07 |
| 2023-24 |              11.3  |

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 797 FOR 07.02.2025 REGARDING PREVALENCE OF ANTIMICROBIALRESISTANCE

1. Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) have been issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and the same are available in public domain and can be accessed at https://ncdc.mohfw.gov.in/guidelines-resources/.
2. Government has issued Guidelines on Infection Prevention and Control which aim at prevention and control of healthcare associated infections to reduce the use of antibiotics in healthcare settings.
3. Standard Treatment Guidelines have also been prescribed under various National Health Programs.
4. The Government of India through Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) regulates safety, efficacy and quality of the drugs under the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 & its rules. Antibiotics have been included in Schedule H and H1 of the Drugs and Cosmetic Rules and are required to be sold by retail only under the prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner.
5. States have also been advised to ensure prescription of generic drugs and conduct regular prescription audits in public health facilities.
6. Practice of prescription audit is one of the prerequisites for getting certified under the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS).
7. To promote judicious use of antibiotics and to create awareness about AMR, NCDC has developed media material including audios, videos, social media messages and Outdoor Media which are available in public domain and also shared with States/UTs for further dissemination. Media materials are also available at https://ncdc.mohfw.gov.in/iec-on-amr/.
8. Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has undertaken several research initiatives including AMR network comprising 21 tertiary care hospitals. An Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) implementation project has also been initiated in these 21 hospitals, all of which have developed their own antibiotic policies. ICMR funds a total of 51 research projects spanning basic, clinical and applied research along with small and intermittent grants.
9. ICMR released guidelines on Infection control in hospitals in 2016 to facilitate hospitals to develop infection control program which are available at https://www.icmr.nic.in/sites/default/files/guidelines/Hospital\_Infection\_control\_guid elines.pdf.

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