The Director General of Health Services (DGHS) has recently taken a proactive step that has garnered positive feedback from doctors across the nation. A directive asks doctors in all medical colleges to explicitly state the precise reasons or justifications for prescribing antimicrobial medications to patients.
This decision comes in response to increased cases of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) being reported nationwide. Antimicrobials, comprising antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitics, are vital medicines employed for preventing and treating infectious diseases in humans, animals and plants. AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to these medications.
President of Infection Control Academy of India Dr. Ranga Reddy Burri highlighted the rampant abuse of antimicrobials across various sectors, including human health. He asserted that antimicrobials are often prescribed without a provisional diagnosis, and this new regulation aims to curb empirical and indiscriminate prescriptions.
Speaking about the importance of the circular, Dr. Ranga Reddy mentioned that it would also help healthcare workers adopt proper practices, as many had previously neglected infection prevention control and antimicrobial stewardship.
The decision stems from the AMR surveillance programme initiated by National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), designating 40 medical colleges as sentinel sites for monitoring AMR. Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad was also identified for surveillance purposes, said Scientific Committee Convenor of IMA-Telangana Kiran Madala.
He pointed out that in India, a significant portion of antibiotics is frequently obtained without a doctor’s prescription, as individuals purchase these medications directly from pharmacies through over-the-counter transactions. He urged the need for government intervention and regulation.
Expressing a different perspective, Dr. Madap Karuna, a paediatrician from Hyderabad, questioned the focus on doctors solely from medical colleges and suggested encompassing doctors nationwide. She proposed the implementation of a unified platform providing protocols for antibiotic usage to ensure uniformity among healthcare practitioners.
