Agency exhorts international community to come forward and outline a work plan
In an editorial addressed to the international community, Director General of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Monique Éloit says that action must be taken so as not to lose the medical benefits brought in by the use of antimicrobials.
Éloit also mentions that only long-term political commitment by all and coordinated multi-sectoral efforts to establish national control plans for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) would be able to achieve the goal.
She asks questions on how practices can be modified in the long-term and how OIE can help countries and different animal production sectors to evolve without economic or social risk.
The global action plan to combat AMR adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in May 2015 requires all member countries to submit national action plans by May 2017.
OIE has also released its strategy on AMR and the prudent use of antimicrobials this month. The strategy presents four main objectives around which the organisation plans to work:
The first objective includes supporting member countries through the development of targeted communications and advocacy materials to help understand the risks associated with AMR and promote awareness, support professional development goals by conducting workshops and conferences and expand the portfolio of OIE guidance.
The second objective, among others, includes support to member countries in developing and implementing monitoring and surveillance systems to report antimicrobial usage and the emergence of resistant microbes. It will also identify opportunities for public-private partnerships in AMR research.
The third objective includesl providing assistance to member countries to develop national action plans and policies, support member countries to develop legislation governing the manufacture, marketing authorisation, importation, distribution and use of veterinary products.
The last objective is aimed at supporting member countries to implement OIE international standards, strengthen multilateral support for implementation of OIE standards, encourage adoption of the recommendations in the OIE list of antimicrobials of veterinary importance and collaborate with WHO and the FAO to support the development of a comprehensive framework.
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