Family Health Centre at Kakkodi in Kozhikode district declared as the countrys first antibiotic-smart hospital

The Family Health Centre (FHC) in Kakkodi, Kozhikode district, was designated as the nation's first antibiotic-smart hospital on Friday by the Kerala Health Department. Health Minister Veena George said her department had issued guidelines to control the excessive use of antibiotics and the FHC at Kakkodi has met all parameters in this regard, leading to the declaration of the hospital as the first antibiotic-smart hospital. She said, "This is a part of the antibiotic literate state campaign."

In order to be designated as an antibiotic-smart hospital, a medical facility must fulfil ten requirements. These include of educating all hospital medical staff members on infection control procedures and antimicrobial stewardship, a programme that promotes the responsible use of antibiotics.

In addition, hospitals should routinely audit prescriptions, dispose of unused or expired antibiotics properly, and prescribe more than 95% of the medicines in outpatient departments (OPDs) that fall under the access category.

The term "antimicrobial resistance" (AMR) refers to the process by which bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites adapt over time and stop responding to medications. This indicates that the bacteria are not destroyed and can proliferate. Treatment for resistant infections can be challenging and sometimes unattainable.

In an effort to combat the threat posed by antibiotic resistance, the Kerala government earlier this year published its own antibiotic strategy, making it the first in the state. It addressed departments of agriculture and animal husbandry since the use of antibiotics in the dairy and poultry industries poses a severe risk to public health. In order to achieve this goal of making Kerala an antibiotic-literate state, the state in 2019 introduced the Kerala Antimicrobial Resistance Strategic Action Plan (KARSAP). Kerala formed AMR committees in each of its districts and blocks in 2023.