A Comparative Analysis of National and State Level Action Plans on Antimicrobial Resistance in India

Abstract

Background: In 2015, the World Health Assembly endorsed a global action plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and recommended its member countries to create their own action plans on the subject. Following the launch of India’s National Action Plan (NAP) on AMR in 2017, Indian states- Kerala, NewDelhi and Madhya Pradesh consequently developed their action planswhileother states are in the process of developing their own action plans on AMR. The present study is an attempt to compare NAP-AMRIndia and three state’s AMR action plans. Objectives: “To study the similarities and variations among National and State Action Plans (SAPs) on AMR in India”. Methodology:Areview of India’sNAP-AMR and the SAPs-AMR of three states (Kerala, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh) has been conducted to document the similarities and variations among these plans. Apart from AMR action plans other relevant documents obtained from Google, and National Centre for Disease Control, India were used. Result: All strategic priorities of SAP-AMR of Kerela, New-Delhi and Madhya Pradesh are similar to NAP-AMR of India. Focus areas under strategic priorities of three state action plans are well aligned to the National Action Plan. Though suggested activities under various focus areas are more or less similar among state and national action plans, however each state action plan has introduced some of the unique activities under some focus areas. All the three State Action Plans are having well-defined monitoring and evaluation frameworks akin to National Action Plan, India. Conclusion: So far only three Indian states have launched their sate action plans on AMR following the lauch of National action plan of India on AMR in the year 2017. The findings of this study may be useful for the experts while developing the state level action plans on AMR formulating antimicrobial policy and research etc