'India prioritises implementation of Action Plan for AMR containment'

The Government of India has identified Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) as a key priority in its National Health Policy, 2017 and have taken series of initiatives which strive to build systems to counter AMR holistically, said Union Minister of State for Health Dr. Bharti Pravin Pawar in India's national statement on combating Anti-Microbial Resistance at the Third Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance at Muscat, on Friday.

Speaking on the occasion, MoS Health elucidated that India's example of prioritising the development and implementation of State Action Plans for Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance to ensure effective containment of AMR across sectors at this cutting-edge level, is a best practice that can be further discussed and emulated by other countries.

Dr Pawar elaborated that India's National Action Plan for containment of AMR (NAP-AMR) was officially released on April 19, 2017. The Delhi Declaration on AMR, which is an inter-ministerial consensus, was signed at the launch of NAP-AMR, by the ministers of the concerned ministries pledging their whole-hearted support in AMR containment.MoS Health emphasised that "The National Action Plan for containment of AMR focuses on an integrated One Health approach and involves coordination among various sectors at the state, national and international level."

Furthermore, MoS Health said National Action Plan for containment of AMR serves to leverage the strengths of various institutions such as National Center for Disease Control, Indian Council Medical Research to coordinate AMR surveillance lab networks, monitor antimicrobial consumption in health facilities, strengthen infection prevention and control, and promote antimicrobial stewardship to optimize use of antimicrobials.

The Minister concluded her speech urging all governments and partners to collaborate at the international, national and sub-national levels to tackle the development challenge posed by AMR as one family in consonance with the motto of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam One Earth, One Family, One Future' of India's upcoming G20 presidency.

--IANS

avr/kvd