Telangana Govt Contemplating To Come Out With A New Antibiotic Policy

Hyderabad, 2 Aug 2019:

The Telangana state government is contemplating to come out with a new antibiotic policy in the state. The main objective of this new policy would be to regulate and contain the excessive and unnecessary use of antibiotics among people in the state.

As part of the proposal, the Telangana government is planning to form a team of experts from both private and government health organisations representing various departments and conduct deliberations on various issues and finally come out with certain regulatory guidelines.

According to Telangana Health Ministry sources, it is said that they have received complaints from health experts that some of the physicians and hospitals are prescribing strong antibiotics for even small ailments, which could be treated with simple medicines.

“The state government of Telangana after witnessing various instances where in a few medical practitioners from various hospitals are increasingly prescribing heavy dose of antibiotics even for simple ailments like cold and cough. This is leading to emergence of antibiotic resistance microbes which are giving tough challenge to healthcare experts and phamra industry as well. In view of the above, the health department in Telangana has proposed to come out with an antibiotic policy and bring out new regulations to contain the excess and unnecessary use of antibiotics,” informed Etala Rajender, Health Minister of Telangana.

As part of this policy, the state government is planning to form a health expert committee that will devise the regulations and advise the government on various guidelines to be framed as part of the policy. “In fact, more than 90 per cent infections can be cured using normal medicines and low dose antibiotics. However, of late the practise of selling antibiotics over the counter without prescription has increased. Particularly the use of antibiotics in children has increased manifold, as per a report of the World Health Organisation (WHO). To overcome this challenge, we have decided to come out with a new antibiotic policy for Telangana and very soon we will come up with new antibiotic prescription guidelines,” observed a senior official in the Health department.

Once the policy comes into place, it will guide medical practitioners about the use of antibiotics. If any doctor violates these guidelines, action will be taken against the doctor. Pharmabiz