FM DECEMBER 2018 ISSUE - digital edition

news updates
ICMR releases new
antimicrobial stewardship
guidelines
The Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR) has released
Antimicrobial Stewardship Guidelines
documents for hospital administrators
and clinicians, recently.
The guideline is intended to provide
directions to Indian hospitals to set up
structure and processes of antimicrobial
stewardship programmes (AMSP).
There is an urgent need to improve
antibiotic use in hospitals, which can
be achieved through implementation
of good AMS programmes. AMS
programmes have been found helpful
in improving the quality of patient
care and safety through increasing
the frequency of correct therapy and
prophylaxis, reducing treatment failures
and increased infection cure rates,
according to an ICMR statement.
Implementation of an effective
AMSP requires a multidisciplinary
approach involving a variety of experts.
Most of the hospitals in India lack
structure and process of AMSP.
Recognizing the importance to
create AMSP structures in healthcare
institutions in the country, ICMR has
initiated AMSP activities by developing
AMSP curriculum, conducting workshops
and developing AMSP research projects.
The ‘National Health Policy’ (2017),
addresses antimicrobial resistance as
one of the key issues and prioritises
development of guidelines regarding
antibiotic use, limiting the over-thecounter
use of antibiotics, restricting the
use of antibiotics as growth promoters
in livestock, and pharmaco-vigilance
including prescription audit inclusive
of antibiotic usage in the hospital and
community.
Nephroplus
acquires
DaVita Care
NephroPlus, a dialysis care
network, has acquired
DaVita Care India, part of
DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500
company.
Under the terms of the
agreement, NephroPlus will
acquire DaVita Care India’s
network of 22 centres which
serve more than 1,700 dialysis
patients nationwide.
The acquisition will boost
Nephroplus’ servicing
capacity as a dialysis centre
network and will have a
presence in 18 states of India
with 176 centers across 97
cities.
DaVita Care (India) Pvt.
Ltd. owns and operates a
network of dialysis and
kidney care centers that
provide care for acute and
end-stage renal disease
patients in India. The company
offers dialysis services,
including in-center and
home hemodialysis,
peritoneal dialysis, and
AV fistula and AV graft
procedures and allied services
that include psychological
counselling and diet and
nutrition advice.
TCS backs
research on
SIDS
Tata Consultancy Services
(TCS) has donated 5,000
8 / FUTURE MEDICINE / DECEMBER 2018