Kerala to Launch Pioneering Program for Expired Drug Disposal

Kerala is set to become the first state in India to implement a comprehensive program for collecting and disposing of expired and unused drugs. The state's Drugs Control Department will launch 'nPROUD' (new Programme on Removal of Unused Drugs) in January, starting with a pilot project in Kozhikode corporation and Ulliyeri panchayat. The initiative aims to tackle environmental threats and potential health issues like antimicrobial resistance. Haritha Karma Sena and Kudumbashree volunteers will collect drugs from homes at no cost, while medical stores will have blue bins for collection. The collected drugs will be incinerated at a facility in Ernakulam. This innovative approach could serve as a model for other states to address the critical issue of proper medicine disposal.

 

Source: The New Indian Express