Indian Pathogen Priority List

Priorities outlined in the National Action Plan for antimicrobial resistance in India

National Plan for Antimicrobial Resistance

• The current NAP is comprehensive and aligns well with the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) GAP for AMR.
•  The plan covers all the five major objectives as listed in the GAP and adds an additional objective related to strengthening India’s leadership on AMR.
• The plan proposes to target several key aspects of AMR in both human and non-human sectors (such as agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, and environment) incorporating the ‘one health approach’

WHO global initiatives being implemented in India

• India’s National Action Plan on AMR is well-aligned with WHO’s Global Action Plan on AMR. WHO support is well-aligned to the strategic priorities of the Global Action Plan and the National Action Plan on AMR.
• India is enrolled in WHO’s Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System or GLASS and has been contributing AMR data from the National Centre for Disease Control, Indian Council for Medical research and GASP (Gonococcal AMR Surveillance Programme) networks.
• Some WHO tools and guidelines that have been adapted for use in the Indian context.
  • These include the WHONET software developed by a WHO collaborating centre for AMR surveillance, which has been adopted by the NCDC’s AMR surveillance network and the three state surveillance networks in Maharashtra, Kerala and Delhi.
• The WHO laboratory assessment tool for national AMR reference labs has been adapted to the Indian context and is used for assessment of laboratories in the three state surveillance networks; the Antimicrobial Consumption Tool or AMC Tool developed by another WHO collaborating centre on AMR is being used in NCDC’s National Antimicrobial Consumption Network.
• WHO’s global guidelines for infection prevention and control were adapted to the Indian context in the National Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control in Healthcare Facilities.
• The Access-Watch-Reserve classification of antimicrobials is being included in the latest revision of the National Essential Medicines List.
• WHO’s global pathogen priority list of antibiotic resistance bacteria is being adapted as the India’s Pathogen Priority List from India’s perspective to incentivise research and development of newer antimicrobials, diagnostics and alternatives.
• WHO resources for raising awareness and understanding of AMR have also been adapted for the Indian context and shared with key stakeholders during the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week.