West Bengal inches closer to new policy to fight antibiotic resistance

The West Bengal government is in the final stages of approving a comprehensive state-level health policy to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), popularly known as antibiotic resistance, officials said.

The move comes against the backdrop of broader national efforts to promote rational drug use, including the Centre’s ban on 156 fixed-dose combination drugs, including antibiotics, to prevent misuse and protect public health.

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The proposed State Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (SAP-AMR) has been developed in alignment with the Centre’s National Action Plan on AMR (2025–2029) and is designed to curb the misuse of antibiotics, a problem that has made many common infections harder to treat and increasingly expensive to manage.

Policy has 'One Health' approach

According to a senior health department official involved in drafting the plan, the policy adopts a “One Health” approach, reflecting the understanding that antibiotic resistance is not confined to hospitals.

“This is a problem that spans human health, animal health, and the environment,” the official said.

“Antibiotics are misused not only in clinical settings but also in livestock farming, poultry production, and even through waste that enters rivers and soil. A holistic approach is necessary to stop germs that no longer respond to antibiotics from spreading.”

The state has been preparing the SAP-AMR over the past year, the official added.

What plan's draft says

In January 2025, a state-level workshop was conducted with the participation of doctors, health officials, veterinary experts, and researchers to prepare an initial draft of the plan.

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The draft outlined hospital protocols, public awareness measures, surveillance strategies, and regulatory frameworks to create a structured roadmap to address AMR.

In December 2025, a high-level strategic meeting reviewed the draft carefully and took steps to get the plan ready for final approval.

Under the proposed plan, hospitals across Bengal will implement stricter protocols to guide the prescription of antibiotics.

Using antibiotics only when necessary

Special hospital committees are expected to monitor prescriptions, ensuring that antibiotics are used only when necessary and in the correct dosages.

Health officials say this is critical because overuse and misuse of antibiotics allow germs to develop resistance, making previously treatable infections more difficult and costly to cure.

Also read: Anti-microbial resistance: When microbes get the better of humans

Bengal also participates in the National AMR Surveillance Network (NARS-Net), a nationwide system that keeps track of infections that no longer respond to antibiotics.

The network collects data from hospitals and laboratories across the country to identify which germs are becoming resistant and which medicines are still effective. This information helps doctors make the right treatment decisions and allows health authorities to spot emerging threats early, so that steps can be taken to prevent the spread of dangerous, drug-resistant infections.

Data from this network will inform hospital treatment practices and help policymakers identify emerging resistance patterns.

'Surveillance is key'

“Surveillance is the backbone of any effective AMR strategy,” said Dr S Bhattacharjee, a microbiologist based in Kolkata. “If we do not know which pathogens are resistant and to which drugs, doctors cannot make informed decisions, and public health interventions will lag behind.”

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In addition to hospital protocols and surveillance, the SAP-AMR seeks to strengthen regulations around the sale of antibiotics.

Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, certain antibiotics listed in Schedule H1 can only be dispensed with a doctor’s prescription. Schedule H1 lists certain antibiotics and other drugs that are considered high-risk for misuse. These drugs cannot be sold over the counter and must be sold only with a doctor’s prescription.

The state plans to enforce these rules rigorously, requiring pharmacists to maintain detailed records of sales.

The official noted that stricter regulation is essential to prevent the over-the-counter misuse of antibiotics, which has been identified as a major contributor to resistance.

Training and awareness are also key components of the plan.

Doctors, nurses, and pharmacists will receive ongoing instruction on the proper use of antibiotics, including when to prescribe them and how to counsel patients on completing their courses.

Public awareness campaigns

At the same time, public education campaigns aim to inform residents about the dangers of self-medication and premature discontinuation of prescribed antibiotics.

“People often stop taking antibiotics once they feel better or demand them unnecessarily for minor illnesses such as colds or fevers,” the health official said. “This behaviour accelerates resistance and undermines the effectiveness of life-saving drugs.”

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Experts have warned that AMR poses serious consequences if not addressed. Simple infections that were once easily treatable can become severe or life-threatening. Hospital stays may become longer, medical costs higher, and routine procedures such as surgeries and childbirth more dangerous. Children, the elderly, and immunocompromised patients are particularly at risk.

'AMR a silent pandemic'

“Antimicrobial resistance is a silent pandemic,” said Dr Pinaki Mukherjee, a public health specialist in Kolkata. “If states such as West Bengal do not act decisively, we could see a situation where common medicines fail, hospitals are overwhelmed, and preventable deaths increase.”

The SAP-AMR is expected to be announced by the end of this month.

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By integrating human, animal, and environmental health considerations, the plan reflects a growing recognition that AMR is a complex, multi-sectoral problem, the officials said, adding it also aligns with international guidelines calling for coordinated, evidence-based strategies to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics.

Other states, such as Kerala, have already publicly released comprehensive action plans to tackle the growing threat of AMR.