Health ministry asks doctors to mention reason for prescribing antibiotics
New Delhi (PTI): The Union Health Ministry has urged all doctors in medical colleges and medical associations to make it a mandatory practice to mention indication, reason for justification while prescribing antibiotics.
Director General of Health Services Dr Atul Goel has also appealed to all pharmacists to strictly implement schedule H and H1 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules and stop over-the-counter sale of antibiotics and sell them only on the prescription of a qualified doctor.
Misuse and overuse of antimicrobials are one of the main drivers in the development of drug-resistant pathogens, Goel said in a letter dated January 1.
"With few new antibiotics in the research and development pipeline, prudent antibiotic use is the only option to delay the development of resistance," he stated.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the top global public health threats facing humanity, the letter addressed to all doctors of medical colleges and to all medical associations said.
It is estimated that bacterial AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million global deaths in 2019 and 4,95 million deaths were associated with drug resistant infections.
AMR puts many of the gains of modern medicine at risk.
It threatens the effective prevention and treatment of infections caused by resistant microbes, resulting in prolonged illness and greater risk of death. Treatment failures also lead to longer periods of infectivity and the prohibitive high cost of the second-line drugs may result in failure to treat these diseases in many individuals.
"While the pharmacists are being reminded to implement the schedule H and H1 of the Drugs and Cosmetic Rules and sell antibiotics only on valid prescriptions, it is important that doctors write the indication on the prescriptions while prescribing antimicrobials," the letter said.
"It is in urgent appeal to all the doctors to make it a mandatory practice to write indication/reason/Justification while prescribing antimicrobials. Looking forward to your support the promote judicious use of antimicrobials to reduce emergence of AMR," it stated.
In the letter to all pharmacist associations in India, Goel said under Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945, antibiotics are included in the list of drugs specified under Schedule H which are required to be sold by retail on the prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) only. Some high end antibiotics are included in list of HI drugs.
"This is an urgent appeal to all the pharmacists in the country to strictly implement schedule H and H1 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules and stop over the counter sale of antibiotics and sell them only on prescription of a qualified doctor," the letter stated.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
