The Kerala Health Department has introduced the nPROUD (New Programme for Removal of Unused Drugs) initiative, marking an important move towards the safe disposal of expired and unused medications. This program is designed to mitigate environmental hazards and health risks associated with the improper disposal of pharmaceuticals. Kerala is the first state in India to implement such a systematic, government-led initiative for drug disposal.
How Will nPROUD Work?
The nPROUD initiative focuses on collecting unused and expired medications from homes and pharmacies to guarantee their safe and scientific disposal. This program will launch as a pilot in Kozhikode Corporation and Ulliyeri Panchayat, encompassing about 200,000 households and numerous pharmacies. Plans are in place to gradually roll it out across the state.
Household Collection: Volunteers from Haritha Karma Sena and Kudumbashree will visit homes to collect unused medicines at no cost. This will also help in spreading awareness about the dangers of antimicrobial resistance.
Pharmacy Participation: Medical stores will have blue bins where people can drop their unused drugs. However, commercial entities like retailers, wholesalers, and hospitals will have to pay ₹40 per kilogram for disposal services.
Special Drives for Collection: To increase participation, the initiative will include “Go Blue Day” events, where pre-scheduled collection drives will take place at designated locations.
Safe Disposal Process: All collected medicines will be scientifically incinerated at the Kerala Enviro Infrastructure Ltd (KEIL) facility in Ernakulam, ensuring compliance with environmental safety norms.
