BEIJING — China’s top health authority has urged tightened supervision over the clinical use of antibiotic drugs to contain drug-resistance strains, according to a circular.

Health departments and medical institutions at all levels should reinforce supervision on antibiotic use and carry out inspections at least twice a year, said a circular issued by the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC).

The NHFPC encouraged medical institutions to join the efforts to monitor the clinical use of antibiotic drugs and drug-resistant strains to improve the early warning mechanism.

Abuse of antibiotics can give rise to new strains of hardy bacteria that can live and even thrive despite the use of medication.

At present, drug-resistant infections have become a major challenge to global public health, causing the death of 700,000 people and 230,000 newborns worldwide every year.

In August 2016, the NHFPC issued a national action plan to tighten supervision over antibiotic production, sale and use.