Lok Sabha Question No. 3664 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-13
Subject: Antibiotic Resistant
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Raj Kumar Chabbewal

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3664 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.03.2026

## ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT

## 3664. DR. RAJ KUMAR CHABBEWAL:

Will the MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government is aware that as per a recent WHO report, one in six bacterial infections globally in 2023 was antibiotic-resistant and that India has one of the highest resistance rates and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and (b) whether the Government is taking any measures to spread awareness and prevent the Proliferation of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in the country, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

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

(a) & (b): The Government is aware of the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is prevalent and increasing across more than 100 countries worldwide and affects all regions. The issue is being addressed through a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach under the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2.0, aligned with the WHO Global Action Plan on AMR. The Government has undertaken a number of strategic and coordinated measures across sectors to address this challenge. The details of the steps taken are placed at Annexure .

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## ANNEXURE Details of steps taken by Government to contain AMR as mentioned in part (a) & (b) of

## the reply are as under:

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 s mall 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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