Professor Alison Holmes was invited as a speaker at an International Symposium in Kerala which inaugurated the state's antibiotic policy.

Professor Alison Holmes, Director of the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance  was invited as a speaker at the International Symposium in Kerala on ‘Antibiotic stewardship and infection control and prevention’ which inaugurated the state’s new antibiotic policy.

Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar highlighted the widespread use of antibiotics – “It needs to be taken head on in a State which has the status for being among the top consumers of antibiotics”.

It is envisaged that the new policy will help drive down the cost of treatment and address the challenges of self treatment; patients not adhering to the dosages and the unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics. The policy is being prepared together with the professional bodies of doctors and paramedical associations.