Access–Watch Ratio Based on Access, Watch, and Reserve Classification of Antibiotics in Public Health Facilities of Tamil Nadu
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Date
2022-09
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wolters Kluwer – Medknow
Abstract
The rise in cases of antibiotic resistance can be mainly attributed to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. To address this issue, the WHO launched Access, Watch, and Reserve (AWaRe) classification of antibiotics in 2017 as a surveillance tool. Many countries have adopted it to monitor and optimize their antibiotic usage. However, implementation of it is yet not seen at a very appreciable level. Through this survey, we tried to explore the prescribing pattern of antibiotics based on the WHO AWaRe classification in selected secondary and tertiary care health facilities of Tamil Nadu. In-patient case sheets were audited in selected departments across 18 health facilities in six districts. Proportionately higher use of the watch group of antibiotics was found in all the districts. A lower access–watch ratio suggests the need for judicious implementation of such tools to safeguard this life-saving good and ensuring its sustainability.
Description
Keywords
Antibiotics use, hospitals, WHO access, watch, and reserve classification
Citation
Sinha Isha, Kanth Krishna, Krishnamoorthy Yuvaraj, Gopichandran Vijayaprasad. Access–Watch Ratio Based on Access, Watch, and Reserve Classification of Antibiotics in Public Health Facilities of Tamil Nadu. Indian Journal of Public Health. 2022 Sept; 66(3): 352-354