Publications

WHO bulletin article on the UN Assembly meeting acknowledges the contribution of Chennai declaration

WHO bulletin published an article in relation to the UN meeting. The article has acknowledged contribution of Chennai declaration to the tackling antibiotics resistance issue.

Various initiatives including “Chennai declaration of Indian medical societies” have played significant role in mobilising international scientific and political community and to take the issue up to UN meeting. 

http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/94/9/16-020916.pdf?ua=1

“overconsumption of antibiotics”

Coordinator of Chennai declaration writes a letter to the Lancet editor on the article “overconsumption of antibiotics” by Thomas Van Boeckel and team

http://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/laninf/PIIS1473-3099(15)70081-2.pdf

 

Super bugs and the social responsibility

Coordinator of Chennai declaration writes in the Longitude prize blog on the access and excess paradox of antibiotics

“India is the largest antibiotic consumer in the world and at the same time has high antibiotic resistance. The statement seems self-explanatory and straightforward: if we use antibiotics too frequently, the resistance rate will be invariably high. Tackling the antimicrobial resistance crisis could have been a lot simpler if the equation was as linear as this. Unfortunately, the scenario is complicated by the lack of access to antibiotics by a sizeable proportion of the population in India………..

https://longitudeprize.org/blog-post/super-bugs-and-social-responsibility

 

An editorial in Indian journal of Medical Microbiology by Dr Arti Kapil on the need for a national antibiotic policy incorporating Chennai Declaration’s recommendations.

Author of Chennai declaration urges for a change in medical curriculum.

Chief Medical officer England advises British goverment to recommend Chennai Declaration to commonwealth countries.

The UK Government needs to provide support to WHO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the World Organisation for Animal Health in their role of providing coordination and international leadership to give higher priority to this growing global threat. This effort particularly needs to support local initiatives around the world such as the Chennai Declaration5 where, for the first time, medical societies in India came together to discuss the problem of antimicrobial resistance. Given the population flows between the UK and India, it can be seen that such initiatives can have a direct influence on UK health.

BMJ article by Dr.Susan Hopkins.

The Chennai Declaration is a landmark step towards combating the spread of antimicrobial resistance in India and worldwide. To control worldwide antimicrobial resistance, health communities worldwide should encourage the endorsement of these recommendations by the Indian Health goals over the next five years.

The Chennai Declaration: Delusions of Grandeur or a Cause for Optimism?

Timothy R Walsh writes to BMJ editor

I am not surprised that the Chennai Declaration “was very much not to look back but rather look forward” – to look back would have been an inconvenient truth unpalatable to most.

Dr. Ian M. Gould , Secretary General: International Society of Chemotherapy in Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance says.

The Declaration is very ambitious and includes contributions and actions from most of the major stakeholders, including veterinary and agricultural practice.

The Chennai Declaration: India’s landmark national commitment to antibiotic stewardship demonstrates that ‘truth alone triumphs’

  1. H. Holmes and M. Sharland write in Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy“The paper represents an extraordinary example of national commitment from a country that recognizes the clinical and public health issues of antimicrobial resistance.Through the publication of this declaration and action plan, India is providing assurance of national action and a clear demonstration that the country is facing up to this growing national threat, both authoritatively and responsibly. It is particularly noteworthy that the declaration comes from a diverse mix of medical societies, not just those from infectious diseases and microbiology specialities and a broad range of national authorities. The declaration therefore represents a strong collaborative voice and the authors, medical societies and national bodies are to be commended for their coordinated commitment and the production of their consensus recommendations. It now needs to be considered what incentives are necessary for sustainability and how other countries can provide positive reinforcement and tangible support for such an important national initiative.

Andreas Voss –Editor , Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control  Journal.

The Chennai Declaration” is a not a policy by itself, but a call for a national policy. The Declaration has looked into all major aspects of the problem, has suggested practical solutions, explained in detail the responsibility of each and every stakeholder. The Declaration is an outcry for action by the medical community and the authorities, not another publication on antimicrobial resistance waiting to get shelved!

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

Mike Mitcha quotes Stuart B. Levy saying the declaration is a promising development. “What they want to do is noble,If they accomplish even a portion of it, it will reduce the power of selection for resistance.”

Herman Goossens writes in Lancet ID.

If recommendations are followed, the Chennai declaration could become the backbone of a national policy. The recent advertisement by the Ministry of Health for rational antibiotic prescription—a result of the Chennai meeting—will hopefully mark the beginning of a shift in the attitude of the medical community and authorities towards tackling antimicrobial resistance in India I would urge the Indian authorities to formulate a policy incorporating the Chennai declaration recommendations, because this declaration provides a solution for India to beat the resistance threat, and to join the global fi ght against resistance. I wish all the best to the Indian medical community and Indian authorities in initiating such a historical effort.

Chairman, European Union Commission Joint programme on antimicrobial resistance comments on ‘Chennai Declaration’

Medical Journal of Australia Susan Maddocks writes an Editorial in the journal 

says-
Ghafur  urges us to behave like microbes and “unite or perish”. He calls for global, cross-border action and describes efforts in India to tackle the now very serious threat of gram-negative resistance by bringing together members from across the medical, political, industrial and community divide to create the Chennai Declaration.

“Unite or Perish’’ Co-ordinator , Chennai Declaration writes in Medical Journal of Australia-

We need to move beyond  national boundaries to tackle antimicrobial resistance explains Dr Ghafur, co-ordinator, Chennai Declaration in his review in Medical journal of Australia-Microorganisms teach us a very basic and important lesson: unite or perish! Unless we initiate a global and united effort to tackle the issue of multi resistance in microorganisms, they will have the final victory. Microbes are global citizens; their spread across the earth not being restricted by the national boundaries or national flags. If we intend to challenge microbes and tackle the situation, we have to pursue the behaviour and tactics of bugs, by becoming global citizens and thinking beyond national boundaries

“Bringing together medical societies in India is undoubtedly a huge challenge”

Co-ordinator ,Chennai Declaration quotes in Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance.Not knowing the number of existing medical societies, or how they will respond to a call, not knowing how sincerely they will participate, perhaps with veiled opposition and not knowing all the stakeholders; even imagining a call to action was a challenge.

“The ‘Roadmap Meeting’ and the ‘Chennai Declaration’ had the charm of an Indian wedding, with relatives and family friends from all four corners of the country, with informal blessing of the authorities, discussing stories on the Indian resistance crisis and searching for indigenous solutions. India needs an ‘implementable policy’ and not a ‘perfect policy’ was the slogan and the motto of the Declaration.

The Chennai Declaration: A Call to Action!

Chapter by Dr.Muruganathan in Association Of Physicians,India annual update.

PRESIDENT ANTIBIOTIC ACTION  UK Laura JV Piddock  commented on CHENNAI DECLARATION.

She appreciated the efforts and says -By spreading awareness to everyone, not just physicians, about antibiotic resistance and the need to use antibiotics appropriately to preserve their utility hopefully MDR infections will remain treatable.

WAAR group endorses Chennai Declaration.

WAAR group president Jean Carlet says  WAAR, fully supports their action, and the Chennai declaration

Royal college of Physicians, Edinburgh endorses the Chennai Declaration

European Society of Clinical  Microbiology and  Infectious Diseases(ESCMID) endorse Chennai Declaration.

ESGAP comments on its participation in Chennai declaration.