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

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Pawar elucidated that India’s example of prioritizing 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 explained 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.

She emphasized 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.

Dr Pawar 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.