Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala state government is taking steps to curb the overuse of antibiotics by introducing a colour-coded ranking system for hospitals and local government institutions. Under this initiative, antibiotic usage in hospitals and related institutions will be evaluated, and based on their performance, a specific colour code will be assigned.

Hospitals that achieve the highest marks for effectively reducing the usage of antibiotics will get a ‘light blue’ ranking. As the score decreases, the colour coding will follow a gradient: dark blue, green, yellow, and finally pink for the lowest scores.

The new code has to be implemented in hospitals under the Health and Medical Education departments within the next three months The colour code will not only be based on the statistics of antibiotic usage but also on awareness activities conducted through schools, gram sabhas, agricultural farms, and medical shops. As part of the evaluation, special training sessions for volunteers and field activities will also be provided

The health workers have visited over 4 lakh households to spread awareness about the responsible usage of antibiotics. This initiative is part of the Kerala Antimicrobial Resistance Strategic Action Plan (KARSAP). According to the health department, antibiotic use has already declined by up to 30% through ongoing efforts.