Besides the 10 laboratories which have helped the State implement an action plan towards antimicrobial resistance (AMR) so far, the government needs to strengthen at least 17 more laboratories it has identified in various institutions to implement the plan effectively.
Institutions such as the Sree Chitra Institute of Medical Sciences, Regional Cancer Centre, and many private medical colleges and laboratories have joined the programme from September 2019.
Funds
More funds are required to set up laboratories in institutions under the ambit of the Kerala Antimicrobial Resistance Strategic Action Plan (KARSAP), says Sarada Devi K.L., the State nodal officer for the AMR programme.
A six-point programme in implementing the action plan was discussed at a regional workshop here recently.
The six points discussed were awareness and understanding, labs and surveillance, infection prevention and control, optimising use of antimicrobials, research and innovation, and collaborations.
“It was a small step in the realm of combating a global public health concern,” said Dr. Sarada Devi.
Representatives from the Health departments of six States and one Union Territory took part in the workshop. “Kerala has to make private health-care institutions a part of the AMR programme as majority of the population seek treatment in these institutions,” Dr. Sarada Devi said.
It has to be tackled as One Health – bringing together animal health, fisheries and human health together – as use of antibiotics and their impact on society was vast. Infection control activities in a health-care institution was the beginning, she said.
