Draft action plan prepared to combat antimicrobial resistance

Islamabad

The first draft of the National Action Plan (NAP) to combat Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) was prepared at the close of a five-day consultative workshop that ended here Friday, with over 75 technical experts representing health, agriculture, livestock, environment, academia, the armed forces and the private sector in attendance.

AMR is a significant public health problem leading to significant morbidity and mortality. The emergence and spread of resistance among the bacteria is a complex phenomenon that requires the adoption of a multi-pronged approach for control. The NAP is being prepared in line with the five strategic objectives of the WHO Global Action Plan for AMR. The draft NAP includes key strategic priorities, operational plans and interventions, and essential indicators for monitoring and evaluation.

Speaking at the workshop’s concluding session, national AMR focal person Dr. Muhammad Salman presented key elements of the draft NAP, highlighting the background, process of development, and salient features of strategic and operational plan along with the monitoring evaluation framework and next steps.

Dr. Ali Mafi, the team lead from WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO), shared his experiences about the workshop and appreciated the commitment of the participants. FAO representative Dr. Muhammad Afzal highlighted the need to restrict the use of AMR in animal sector. He also emphasized the importance of AMR surveillance and implementation of bio-risk management in the livestock sector and the need for rational use of antimicrobials.

Director General Health Balochistan Dr. Masood Nowsherwani appreciated the all-inclusive approach of the workshop. He said, NAP would help the provinces develop and implement their respective AMR action plans. Representative of Sindh Health Department Dr. Qazi Mujtaba felt that NAP would be beneficial towards control of AMR and assured support of the provincial government to take its implementation forward and develop a provincial action plan. He termed effective implementation and monitoring at the district level as an important step towards success of the Action Plan. Animal husbandry commissioner Dr. Qurban Ali talked about indiscriminate prescription of antibiotics, and its effect on human and animal health, which are closely intertwined.

WHO representative in Pakistan Dr. Assai thanked the Ministry of Health and WHO for holding a successful workshop. He urged that official nominations of animal national focal points and provincial AMR focal points be expedited.

The session concluded with the director general health Dr. Assad Hafeez highlighting steps taken by the Ministry of Health to address the issue of AMR. He informed that NAP will be presented during the next World Health Assembly in May 2017. In the end, he appreciated the experts for compiling the draft action plan.