On Friday, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao issued a public notice to raise awareness about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a critical issue in India, which ranks among the top causes of death. AMR arises when microorganisms become resistant to medications due to the misuse of antibiotics in agriculture, veterinary services, and human medicine.
In collaboration with Prof Swetavalli Raghavan of the Royal Society of Chemistry in South Asia, the Drugs Control Department developed an AMR sensitization program. This initiative has reached 17,000 pharmacists and pharmacology students. Additionally, Rao conducted a ‘test-purchase’ drive involving college students who visited 105 pharmacies in Bengaluru to buy antibiotics. The findings revealed that 80% of these pharmacies dispensed antibiotics without proper prescriptions or licensed pharmacists.
Rao has directed the Drugs Control Department to enforce the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, strictly. This action aims to curb the misuse of antibiotics and address the growing threat of AMR.
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