FAO in Armenia

FAO helps Armenia develop a national action plan on Antimicrobial Resistance

Photo: ©FAO/Gagik Harutyunyan
26/10/2018

A workshop marks the start of the process, aimed at introducing an assessment tool for labs, and an FAO surveillance system

Controlling Antimicrobial Resistance, or shortly AMR, requires a global approach, where actions at national level span across the policy and regulatory spheres, preventive actions and engagement with producers and other relevant food value chain actors.

An FAO meeting brought together experts and interested parties from the fields of food security, animal health, healthcare and nature protection – who are included in the activities related to control and prevention of AMR in the country – in Yerevan last week. The event is part of a recently launched FAO project aimed at reducing the advance of antimicrobial resistance in food and agriculture in six recipient countries, including Armenia, funded by the Russian Federation.

The project will support the engagement of the food and agriculture sector of the selected countries in the implementation and improvement of national action plans on AMR. Focus areas include among others regulatory platforms and legislation; national laboratories that collect and use data on antimicrobial resistance; multi-sectoral coordination; advocacy on the risks for humans, food, animals, plants and the environment.

The meeting underscored the notion that ongoing developments within the food and agriculture sector should be accompanied by a plan to address antimicrobial resistance and ensure that antimicrobials are used and regulated in a responsible manner.

The FAO Assessment Tool for Laboratories and Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Systems (FAO ATLASS) was presented during the meeting. Afterwards, the FAO-ATLASS expert team visited different institutions involved in antimicrobial surveillance to collect descriptive data. It has also looked at the performance of national surveillance-linked activities by mapping laboratory analytical capabilities and networks, and assessing activities on data collection and analysis, governance, communication, and sustainability.

“The project supports the national antimicrobial resistance surveillance system in the food and agriculture sectors in general, said Artur Shamilov, regional FAO project manager and technical advisor of the project. “The recommendations of the ATLASS mission will help prioritize actions for improvement, and coordinate and organize national AMR surveillance capacities and laboratories collect fresh data in Armenia.”

The first results of the FAO-ATLASS mission assessment as well as recommendations to prioritize actions for improving the AMR surveillance were presented to the state authorities on the debriefing event held on October 26, 2018.

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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health priority due to its high negative impacts on human and animal health, food safety and sustainable development of the agriculture sector. Resistance arising in one geographical location or species can spread with ease to other geographical locations or spill-over into other species and impact developed and developing countries alike. The consequences of AMR include the failure to successfully treat human infections, leading to more severe or prolonged illness and death. It also results in animal and crop production losses jeopardizing the livelihoods and food security of the poor farming communities. The indirect impacts of AMR extend beyond health risks or reduced productivity, and include higher costs for treatment and healthcare, and a significant drain on national and global resources.