Antibiotics are to be sold in Kerala only in blue envelopes henceforth, to distinguish antibiotics from other drugs. This will be part of the steps initiated by the Health Ministry to prevent the excessive and unscientific use of antibiotics โ under the Rage on Antimicrobial Resistance (ROAR) programme.
In the first phase, the State Drugs Control department will prepare 50,000 blue envelopes and provide them to the pharmacies in the private sector. These pharmacies are expected to procure similar blue envelopes for selling antibiotics later on.
Pharmacies in the public sector will also be distributed similar blue envelopes, which they will also have to procure for selling antibiotics henceforth. Apart from the details on dosage, awareness messages have also been imprinted on the envelopes. In phases, the initiative will be implemented across the State.
The logo and poster of ROAR was released by Health Minister Veena George on September 11. Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajan Khobragade, Drugs Controller Sujith Kumar and other officials were present.
The statutory warning that selling antibiotics and Schedule H and H1 drugs without a doctorโs prescription is punishable under Drugs and Cosmetics Act has also been imprinted on the blue envelopes.
The blue envelopes will also carry other awareness messages including directions to be bought only with a doctorโs prescription and consumed as per the doctorโs directives; a prescription of antibiotics given by a doctor for a patient should not be consumed by another individual for similar illness; and date-expired or unused antibiotics should not be disposed of carelessly or thrown away in water bodies.
Uniform and standard posters of antimicrobial awareness will be displayed in front of all medical shops in the State. The posters will feature messages that AMR is a grave danger to human health and that AMR will lead to increased treatment expenses and deaths.
Published – September 11, 2024 08:20 pm IST
