India's Initiatives for Amr

India's initiatives for AMR

India’s Initiatives for Containing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a major public health challenge that threatens the effectiveness of antibiotics, increases healthcare costs, and raises mortality rates. Recognising its seriousness, India has undertaken several institutional, regulatory, and behavioral initiatives.

• National Programme on AMR Containment

Launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, this programme aims to strengthen laboratory capacity, promote rational use of antibiotics, and generate data on resistant pathogens. It focuses on surveillance of priority pathogens in tertiary healthcare institutions and improves infection prevention and control practices.

• National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR)

India adopted the NAP-AMR (2017–2021) in alignment with the WHO Global Action Plan on AMR.

It follows a One Health approach, integrating human health, animal health, agriculture, and the environment. Key objectives include:

• Improving awareness and understanding of AMR

• Strengthening surveillance and research

• Reducing infection incidence

• Optimising antimicrobial use

• Promotingsustainable    investments    in    AMR containment    

Several States have also developed State Action Plans on AMR (SAP-AMR).

• NAP-AMR 2.0 (2025-29)

• To confine AMR by promoting national and international collaboration to establish platform which focused on expansion of laboratory capacity for education and training regarding AMR

• Red Line Campaign

• The Red Line Campaign is a public awareness initiative where antibiotics are marked with a red line on packaging.

• It warns consumers that these medicines should not be taken without a doctor’s prescription, discouraging self- medication and misuse of antibiotics.

• Integrated One Health Surveillance Network for AMR

• India has established an integrated surveillance framework under the One Health approach to monitor AMR across:

• Human health

• Veterinary sector

• Food chains

• Environmental sources

• Institutions such as ICMR, NCDC, ICAR, and DBT collaborate to generate comprehensive AMR data, helping in evidence-based policymaking.

• FSSAI Guidelines on Antibiotics in Food Products

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued regulations limiting antibiotic residues in food products, especially in:

• Milk

•
Meat

• Fish and poultry

This step addresses the misuse of antibiotics in livestock and aquaculture, which is a major driver of AMR.

• Chennai Declaration

The Chennai Declaration (2012) is a consensus document adopted by Indian medical societies.

It provides a roadmap to:

Rationalise antibiotic use

Strengthen infection control

Improve hospital antibiotic stewardship programmes

It marked one of the earliest organised professional responses to AMR in India.

• Schedule H-1 Drugs Regulation

Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, Schedule H-1 includes critical antibiotics that:

• Cannot be sold without a valid prescription

• Require pharmacists to maintain sales records

• This legal measure aims to curb over-the-counter sale and irrational consumption of high-end antibiotics.

• Use of Bacteriophages

India is exploring bacteriophage therapy as an alternative to antibiotics.

Bacteriophages are viruses that specifically infect and kill bacteria. They offer promise in treating drug-resistant infections and are being researched by institutions such as ICMR and DBT-supported labs