Health department looks at ways to limit use of antibiotics

RAIPUR: To keep a check on the antibiotic dose prescribed to patients, the

health department

has proposed a policy to the state government, said sources. According to sources, the senior doctors of government hospitals including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Hospital, Director Medical Education and other medical experts have drafted the antibiotic policy.


Guidelines have been drafted for issuing the dose of antibiotic medicines, to be strictly prescribed by doctors at primary health centres, community health centres and medical college hospital. The guidelines include a provision of punishment for doctors on flouting the prescribed dose.

To collect public opinion on the proposal, it has been uploaded on the state health department’s website. The policy incorporates specific recommendations for the treatment of different high-risk, special groups such as immunocompromised hosts, hospital-associated infections and community-associated infections.

Explaining the need of an antibiotic policy, Dr Prashant Shrivastav of the State Institute of Health and Family Welfare said that the condition of developing resistance to

antibiotics

is rising these days. To minimize this condition, a antibiotic usage policy needs to be developed. The antibiotics should be prescribed depending on the level of facility and patient’s requirement.

The paediatrics department of AIIMS has claimed to have received at least two cases of children who are antibiotic resistant.

Director, medical education, Dr Ashok Chandrakar said that as compared to the medical prescription rules overseas, there is no control on the sale medicines in India.

The state-level committee has reviewed the antibiotic policy of government of India, AIIMS, antibiotic policy of government of Madhya Pradesh, Antibiotic Guidelines 2018 for adults of Christian Medical College Vellore and proposed to adopt the antibiotic policy of Madhya Pradesh except the modifications needed on the basis of antibiograms data made available by AIIMS Raipur, Pt JNM Medical College Raipur.