State Action Plan to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance in Delhi (SAP-CARD).

This State Action Plan (Plan) has been prepared to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Delhi and is in alignment with the National Action Plan and Global Action Plan on AMR. The Plan describes the current situation of AMR in Delhi with regards to human health, animal health, husbandry, food products of animal origin, agriculture and environment. The Plan then discusses the current initiatives undertaken to contain AMR in Delhi focusing on awareness, education, training, laboratory network for early diagnosis and surveillance, infection prevention and control (IPC), efficient use of antibiotics, research and innovation. However, there are many issues and challenges that the Plan identifies under each of the focus areas.
The Plan lays down six strategic priorities to combat AMR in Delhi: 1. Awareness and understanding – communications and training; 2. Knowledge and evidence – laboratories and surveillance; 3. Infection prevention and control – human health, animal/food and community; 4. Optimizing use of antimicrobials – regulations, surveillance and AMSP; 5. Research and innovation; and 6. Collaboration. Each strategic priority further contains objects, strategic interventions and activities, expected outputs and key stakeholders. Strategic priority 1 focuses on increasing awareness, improving communications, knowledge and capacity of key stakeholders regarding AMR. Strategic priority 2 involves strengthening microbiology laboratory capacity to detect AMR and surveillance for AMR in human, animal, food and environment sectors.
Strategic priority 3 aims to establish IPC programmes in veterinary settings and animal husbandry, and reduce environmental contamination with resistant pathogens and antimicrobial residues. Strategic priority 4 focuses on ensuring uninterrupted access to high-quality antimicrobials, establishing surveillance system for antimicrobial use in human, food, agriculture and animal sectors, and appropriate use of antimicrobials in animals. Strategic priority 5 includes the objectives of securing sustainable investments and encouraging research for AMR containment. Strategic priority 6 aims at strengthening state-level collaboration among stakeholders to contain AMR. The Plan also provides for a monitoring and evaluation framework for mapping activities and outcomes under each strategic priority areas.