THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged the Health Department to take steps to reduce the use of antibiotics in the state. Though antibiotics play a pivotal role in containing bacterial infections, the growing trend of self-medication among people has turned out to be a major public health hazard, he said while unveiling the Kerala Antimicrobial Resistance Strategic Action Plan (KARSAP) at Mascot Hotel here on Thursday.
“Nowadays, people themselves assume the role of doctors. They gather information from various sources and use the same for self-medication. This leads to severe health problems. Hope the Health Department, through the KARSAP, can find a solution for the same,” he said.
The action plan should be implemented with the help of the public, doctors, health workers, pharmacies and others, he said, adding that pharmacies should ensure that drug deliverance is based on prescription.
Presiding over the function, Health Minister K K Shailaja said the use of antibiotics is showing a spike and it has been estimated that of the Rs 20,000 crore drugs being consumed in the state, around 20 per cent are antibiotics. The action plan will be implemented through inter-sectoral collaboration and One Health Approach, she said.
The action plan has been developed with the help of Health, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Agriculture and Environment Departments. While the microbiology wing of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College has been asked to monitor its implementation and coordinate related activities, the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology has been asked to carry out research in AMR and prevent it.
The programme was attended by Health Secretary Rajeev Sadanandan, World Health Organisation representative to India Dr Henk Bekedam, Dr Anuj Sharma, technical officer of AMR Laboratories, WHO India, and others.
ACTION PLAN
Key activities to be undertaken as part of KARSAP