The State government has launched efforts to formulate an antibiotic policy for Kerala and to introduce an antibiogram for public and private health facilities in the State to promote the rational use of antibiotics.
An antibiogram is a collection of data or a chart detailing the per cent of individual bacterial pathogens susceptible to different antimicrobial agents within the community or a health facility.
The antibiotics stewardship programme (ASP) launched by the State intends to create an antibiotic policy, create public awareness on the dangers of antibiotics abuse, and to draw up clear treatment guidelines and policies with the involvement of the public as well as private sector physicians.
The indiscriminate use of antibiotics results in the creation of drug-resistant bacteria, which can then spread infections that are difficult to treat in the community. Antibiotic resistance is usually a natural process which occurs over time, but antibiotic abuse and irrational prescriptions have reached a level that today urinary tract infections or pneumonia can no longer be treated easily and have the potential to become life-threatening.
The increasing incidence of antibiotic resistance has led to the widespread use of broad spectrum parenteral antibiotics (antibiotics which are infused into the body) even in secondary health facilities to treat common infections.
The increasing and often irrational use of these expensive drugs in hospitals is one of the reasons for the increasing out-of-pocket expenditure on health in the State, says S.R. Dileep, general manager Kerala State Medical Services Corporation Ltd., and ASP organising secretary.
“The Health Department, in consultation with various professional organisations, has already prepared a draft policy and treatment guidelines, which will be vetted at an international symposium on antibiotic resistance to be held on January 23 in Kochi. The final draft policy and the antibiogram prepared will be put up on the website for the public’s response. A high power committee will review this every quarter and adopt necessary changes,” Dr. Dileep said.
