SEA/RC69/9 - Antimicrobial Resistance

Abstract

The WHO South-East Asia Region has recognized antimicrobial resistance (‎AMR)‎ as a serious threat to public health and has been addressing the issue by advocating to governments of Member States to take this as a cross-sectoral national priority. Several sessions of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia have adopted resolutions on the prevention and containment of antimicrobial resistance, with the last one being in Dili, Timor-Leste, in September 2015. In 2011, all health ministers of the Region had committed themselves to concerted action by adopting the Jaipur Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance, whereby all Member States were encouraged to have in place multisectoral national plans to combat AMR. In 2014, the Regional Director identified AMR as a Flagship Priority with focus on clear deliverables at both regional and country levels. In May 2015, the Sixty-eighth World Health Assembly endorsed a global action plan (‎GAP)‎ to tackle AMR. Governments of Member States have committed to have in place by May 2017 national action plans (‎NAPs)‎ on antimicrobial resistances that are aligned with the GAP. The development of the NAP was confirmed as a priority action at the high-profile ministerial meeting organized by the Government of India in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia in New Delhi, India, in February 2016. The meeting proposed a roadmap for the development of NAPs that would be owned across ministries by May 2017. The process would be supported by a nodal institution on AMR and a multisectoral coordination body. A situation analysis that identifies challenges and needs would be conducted in each Member State of the South-East Asia Region before developing the NAP. Finally, the NAP would incorporate essential components of the Global Action Plan on AMR, including: (‎i)‎ a comprehensive multisectoral approach; (‎ii)‎ an operational plan with adequate budgeting; and (‎iii)‎ an embedded monitoring and evaluation system. Timeframes on deliverables for implementing the NAP will be adapted to each country’s context and circumstances. WHO SEARO is pursuing its support to the region to develop Global action plans (‎GAPs)‎ – aligned National Action Plans (‎NAPs)‎ for AMR through workshops, in-country situation analyses and specific technical support as appropriate. There are currently two major global initiatives including (‎1)‎ a political advocacy document to support the development of NAPs and catalyse on the GAP-AMR as an outcome of the next UN’s High-Level Meeting (‎September 2016)‎; and (‎2)‎ the global development and stewardship framework for AMR (‎preservation, new technologies and promotion of affordable access)‎.The HLP Meeting held in July 2016, discussed this topic and made the following recommendations: Actions by Member States (‎1)‎ Continue the development of NAPs aligned with the GAP and its implementation to meet the May 2017 deadline for having such plans in place, participate in the situation analysis process and establish baseline data against which progress will be measured. (‎2)‎ Provide inputs to the United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on Anti-microbial Resistance (‎AMR)‎ and support activities such as participating at the high-level session of the United Nations General Assembly. (‎3)‎ Continue to support development of multisectoral collaboration aimed at operationalizing the One-Health approach. Actions by WHO (‎1)‎ Continue to support situation analysis activities across the Region in line with efforts to develop NAPs aligned with the GAP. (‎2)‎ Provide the specific technical support needed in the areas of surveillance, laboratory capacity, human resources, and research and development. (‎3)‎ Develop and implement a strategy on One-Health for the Region aligned with the efforts already under way in several countries. (‎4)‎ Provide information and facilitate support for efforts to further the global development and stewardship framework for antimicrobial medicines. The Working Paper is an update on the progress and strategic directions on Combating Antimicrobial Resistance for information and consideration of the Sixty-ninth Session of the Regional Committee for South-East Asia.