Pathanamthitta: The unnecessary consumption of antibiotics has drastically decreased by 20 to 30 percent in Kerala, Health Minister Veena George said. The government had earlier prohibited the sale of antibiotics in medical stores without a doctor’s prescription.

The minister was responding to the findings of the State of India's Environment 2025 report published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a leading environmental advocacy organisation based in New Delhi. The report hailed Kerala as a model for the nation in raising awareness about the dangers of antibiotic overuse.

Efforts are underway to make all hospitals in Kerala antibiotic-smart, the minister stated. The state has launched a massive public awareness campaign about antimicrobial resistance (AMR)—the growing threat posed by microorganisms developing resistance due to excessive antibiotic use. As part of this initiative, health workers are conducting door-to-door visits to educate the public. "We anticipate a significant change through this initiative," the minister told Manorama.

According to the minister, KARSNET (Kerala Antimicrobial Resistance Strategic Action Plan), Kerala’s AMR surveillance network, is the largest of its kind by any state in India. “Through KARSNET, we are compiling AMR-related data from 59 tertiary hospitals and over 100 spoke hospitals across the state. Kerala is also the only state to conduct AMR surveillance at primary and secondary healthcare levels,” she noted.

Veena George also emphasized that the dangers posed by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics are far greater than commonly perceived. "By anticipating this crisis early, Kerala has taken proactive steps that now serve as a model for the entire country," she added.

In the report titled State of India's Environment 2025, Sunita Narain, Director General of CSE, praised Kerala’s initiatives in tackling antimicrobial resistance, calling them world-class. She urged other states to follow Kerala’s lead in implementing robust AMR management strategies.

The report highlighted several of Kerala’s key measures, including strict enforcement of prescription-only antibiotic sales curbing unnecessary consumption of such medicines and preventing its improper disposal into soil and water. Kerala was also the first state in India to introduce a state-level AMR action plan in 2018.

Several public health centres, including those in Kakkodi, Vattiyoorkkavu, and Ernakulam, have already achieved antibiotic-smart status. In addition, the Health Department has directed pharmacies to use blue-coloured covers for selling antibiotics to distinguish them from other medications.

Awareness campaigns have reached households in 43 panchayats, with National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers playing a key role. Kerala has also set a benchmark by establishing antimicrobial committees in 191 blocks, setting up a dedicated laboratory to assess the presence of antibiotics in the environment and implementing a system to collect unused antibiotics from homes in Kozhikode and Ulliyeri. To prevent expired antibiotics from being misused, special collection systems have been introduced in medical stores.

The report also highlights that Malabar Milma, which has developed Ayurvedic alternatives to antibiotics for use in poultry and livestock, has set a new precedent in the ethno-veterinary sector.