Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda launched the second version of the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2025–29) in New Delhi today. He was joined by Dr A. K. Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor; Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary; Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research; and Dr Sunita Sharma, Director General of Health Services.
Minister Highlights Urgent Need for Collective Action
Addressing the gathering, Shri Nadda emphasized that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a major public health threat that requires coordinated action across sectors. He recalled that India began its AMR journey in 2010 and launched the first National Action Plan on AMR (NAP-AMR) in 2017.
He warned that AMR poses severe risks to surgical procedures, cancer treatment, and critical healthcare interventions and noted that the overuse and misuse of antibiotics have become common, making corrective measures essential. Several line ministries have already initiated important steps to address the issue.
NAP-AMR 2.0 Focuses on Strengthening Coordination
Shri Nadda explained that NAP-AMR 2.0 bridges gaps identified in the first action plan. It enhances ownership of AMR-related initiatives, strengthens inter-sectoral coordination, and increases engagement with the private sector.
He highlighted the key strategies under the new plan, including:
- Increasing awareness, education and training
- Enhancing laboratory capacity
- Strengthening infection prevention and control systems in healthcare facilities
He also stressed the importance of holding regular stakeholder meetings to resolve challenges promptly.
Experts Call for Sustained and Unified Efforts
Dr A. K. Sood described the launch of NAP-AMR 2.0 as a timely step, coinciding with the first day of the WHO’s World AMR Awareness Week (18–24 November). He noted that India is one of the global pioneers in addressing AMR and compared its spread to a pandemic affecting many developing countries.
He highlighted India’s progress, including:
- Kerala and Gujarat banning over-the-counter antibiotic sales
- Bans on select antimicrobials and pesticides in agriculture
- Establishment of the India AMR Innovation Hub, which fosters innovation and collaboration among national and international stakeholders
Background: AMR as a National and Global Threat
Antimicrobial resistance has emerged as a global health threat with significant health, economic and political implications. AMR delays treatment, increases the risk of spreading resistant microbes, and raises healthcare costs for families and societies. It also threatens the safety and effectiveness of surgical interventions, cancer treatments, and organ transplants—potentially reversing decades of medical progress.
India has treated AMR as a national priority. The Ministry of Health established a National Task Force on AMR Containment in 2010 and released a national policy in 2011. The first NAP-AMR was launched in 2017 in alignment with the Global Action Plan.
Multi-Sectoral Approach to AMR Containment
Since AMR requires a One Health approach, the response must involve human health, animal health, agriculture and the environment. The development of NAP-AMR 2.0 began in 2022 through extensive stakeholder consultations across multiple sectors and civil society groups.
High-level meetings at NITI Aayog, involving more than 20 ministries and departments, helped define clear goals and timelines. Each stakeholder ministry developed a sector-specific action plan.
The updated NAP-AMR includes:
- Defined action plans for each ministry with budgets and timelines
- Clear mechanisms for cross-sector coordination and monitoring
Commitment to Implement NAP-AMR 2.0
As reported by pib.gov.in, after the launch, each ministry will develop detailed implementation roadmaps involving private sector organisations, academic institutions, professional bodies, cooperatives, NGOs and international partners. During the event, all stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to executing NAP-AMR 2.0 effectively.
Wide Participation from Key Ministries
Senior officials from several ministries attended the launch, including:
- Ministry of Fisheries
- Ministry of Animal Husbandry & Dairying
- Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
- Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change
- Ministry of Science & Technology
- Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers
- Ministry of AYUSH
- Ministry of Jal Shakti
- Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
- Ministry of Education