CAHO & Orchid Pharma strategic partnership kicks off with a national conference on AMR

New Delhi: Orchid Pharma headquartered in Chennai, and the Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organizations (CAHO) took their first steps towards a strategic alliance by co-hosting the National Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), themed “Jyot se Jyot™ – Awareness to Action.”

The event coincided with the World AMR Awareness Week and unveiled innovative solutions to tackle AMR while strengthening hospital capacities nationwide.

The partnership between Orchid Pharma and CAHO aims to tackle the menace of AMR in India by equipping healthcare providers with tools, insights, and training to promote antimicrobial stewardship. Focusing on tier 2 and tier 3 cities, the collaboration seeks to bridge the gap between awareness and action, ensuring sustainable AMR interventions. CAHO and Orchid will also conduct the first-ever nationwide Prescription Audit to identify deviations from prescription guidelines and their causes. Additionally, the initiative will strengthen hospital capacities in tier 1 and tier 2 cities by enhancing AMS programs with digital bedside support, sharing best practices with tier 2 hospitals, and educating patients and their attendants on AMR.

Apart from the strategic partnership with CAHO, Orchid Pharma also pledged to dedicate 1% of its sales of ORBLICEF™ – its patented molecule, Cefepime-Enmetazobactam, toward AMR-related initiatives, supporting research, awareness, and capacity-building efforts across India. These announcements reflect Orchid Pharma’s determination to tackle one of the most pressing healthcare challenges of our time with actionable solutions and strategic investments.

It is also well accepted that the “Dark period” before culture results come, or the patients’ inability to afford or wait for culture, is a big reason for using broad based antibiotics, and for doctors to “Play-safe” by using the high end, reserve antibiotics – thus contributing to AMR. To address this gap, despite the fact that success in culture diagnostics will only reduce the use of antibiotics, and to further demonstrate its commitment to addressing AMR, Orchid Pharma announced a seed capital investment of Rs 1 Crore, each, towards the development of two pioneering technologies. The first is a point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tool aimed at outpatient general practitioners, offering, at the very least, a rapid “Yes/No” assessment of bacterial infections to guide immediate treatment decisions. The second initiative is an ID-ST culture solution, designed to significantly reduce the time required for empiric treatment decisions in ICU settings, thereby improving patient outcomes while curbing unnecessary antibiotic use.

Emphasizing on the importance of this collaboration, Rajnish Rohatgi, CEO of Orchid AMS, said, “We are committed to resolve the paradox between ‘being profitable’ and ‘doing good’. We recognize that AMR cannot be reduced without working to reduce the irrational, avoidable part of the total antimicrobial consumption. Through our partnership with CAHO and the decision to set up a fund for AMR, we are taking firm steps that are a testament of our strong resolve to address the mammoth challenge of AMR. By empowering hospitals and clinicians with tools and actionable insights, we strive to enable more informed and precise treatment decisions contributing to a stronger, more resilient healthcare ecosystem. We have taken the first step and now look forward to working with the entire healthcare ecosystem for making this a success.”

Highlighting their partnership’s role in addressing AMR, Mr. Vijay Agarwal, President of CAHO, said, “This collaboration underscores CAHO’s commitment to capacity building and stewardship across all levels of healthcare. By joining forces with Orchid Pharma, we are paving the way for responsible antibiotic use, bridging systemic gaps, and democratizing access to advanced healthcare technologies. Our mission is to empower every healthcare professional—whether in metropolitan centers or small towns—with the tools and knowledge to uphold high standards in antibiotic stewardship.”

Dr. V.K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog “Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant public health challenge, claiming approximately 2.9 lac lives annually in India. The upcoming National Action Plan 2.0 represents a comprehensive, multi-sectoral initiative involving 14 Union ministries to tackle this crisis. Prioritizing awareness, enhanced laboratory capabilities, prevention, rational antibiotic use, research, and partnerships, the plan sets ambitious goals, including a 10% reduction in mortality from AMR, 20% reduction in inappropriate human antibiotic use, and 30% reduction in inappropriate animal antibiotic usage by 2030. This coordinated effort highlights the critical need for immediate action to build sustainable healthcare systems and secure better health outcomes for future generations.”

The conference brought together an esteemed gathering of experts and stakeholders, including government representatives, healthcare leaders, and global organizations. Keynote addresses were delivered by renowned names such as Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairman & Senior Consultant, Narayana Group of Hospitals & Dr. Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Fortis Healthcare. Attendees included representatives from the Ministry of Health, ICMR, CDSCO, WHO, and leading hospitals across India.