CORDS Webinar on Global Action to Address Antimicrobial Resistance
It is estimated that deaths due to Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) will reach 10,000,000 per year by 20501 and the threat of AMR as a compounding factor in pandemic infection2 led the Asia Partnership for Emerging Diseases Research (APEIR), one of CORDS member networks to initiate a virtual event designed to facilitate discussion among countries and stakeholders. The aim of the webinar was to discuss the implementation of the AMR National Action Plans (NAP) and featured current approaches, best practices, and challenges in AMR NAP implementation.
APEIR invited a range of AMR experts to take part including Regina Berba, Chair of the Philippines National Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, Dr. Harry Parathon, Head of the Indonesia National AMR Control Committee, Dr. James McGrane, Team Leader of the FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease Indonesia, Dr. Tikiri Wijayathilaka, AMR Technical Officer, OIE Southeast Asia, Dr. Adityo Susilo, from the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program of Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital, Dr. Adela Maghear, Senior Advisor, Public Advice International Foundation, Dr. Marlo Libel, Senior Advisor, Ending Pandemics, Prof. Amin Soebandrio, part of the APEIR Steering Committee and Prof. Wiku Adisasmito, APEIR Coordinator.
Through collaboration with CORDS, Ending Pandemics, the University of San Francisco, the Indonesia One Health University Network, the Indonesian Clinical Training and Education Centre, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Indonesia, over 200 participants from 21 countries and four continents were able to take part.
The discussion during the webinar highlighted that agricultural and environmental sectors also face significant AMR problems. At a global level, Dr McGrane, FAO Indonesia and Dr. Wijayathilaka, OIE Southeast Asia, said that FAO, WHO, and OIE have tried to approach the United Nations to establish a collaboration with the UN environmental agencies to address the issue. The importance of multi-sectoral collaboration in addressing AMR was also raised. In some countries such as Indonesia, such unity is lacking because there is no specific system for working with the environmental sector in relation to AMR. The conclusion was that in order to begin the process of developing, implementing and monitoring a strategy, the global effort of multiple countries and stakeholders is required. The webinar ended with the hope that the discussion will act as a catalyst to initiate global collaboration to combat AMR.
To listen to the webinar visit http://bitly.ws/8IUg
To find out more about the work of APEIR visit http://www.apeir.net
[1] Jim O’Neil. Antimicrobial Resistance: Tackling crisis for the health and wealth of nations (HM Government: Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, 2014). P5 2. MacIntyre, C. R., & Bui, C. M. (2017). Pandemics, public health emergencies and antimicrobial resistance-putting the threat in an epidemiologic and risk analysis context. Archives of Public Health, 75(1), 54.