FAO Holds Consultative Workshop on Threats of Antimicrobial Resistance in Agriculture with emphasizes on Fisheries, Food and Livestock in Ghana
March 31,2016 - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO has held a one-day consultative meeting to assess Ghana’s situation with regards to Antimicrobial resistance AMR and antimicrobial use (AMU) and begin the process to develop a “One Health” National Action Plan to address AMR in agriculture and public health in Ghana.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a worldwide health threat at the human–animal-environment interface. Overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in different sectors can result in ineffectiveness of previously successful human and animal treatments of diseases.
Antimicrobials or their active components can also play a role in the resistance development if they are present in the environment such as in manure for agriculture purposes from treated animals or humans, water from fishponds or in waste water from the antimicrobial producing industry, or other waste products from hospitals and clinics.
The meeting brought together over fifty (50) participants representing government, private sector, farmer’s organisations, academia, the media, and partners to deliberate on the issue.
According to FAO, preventing or reducing pathogens acquiring AMR can be achieved by applying responsible use of antimicrobials in humans, animals, and plants in all countries, and also by regulation of the use of waste products from these and the pharmaceutical sectors.
Experts at the one-day meeting have recommended surveillance to detect AMR and monitor its spread into the environment.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the workshop, the FAO Representative to Ghana Dr. Abebe Haile-Gabriel underscored the critical need for collaboration among all the stakeholders involving all the relevant sectors and the subsequent commitment of resources in achieving this cause. Dr. Abebe noted that the outcome of the meeting will enable the stakeholders to better organize and work pro-actively towards a national action plan on Antimicrobial Use and Antimicrobial Resistance.
To address the global threat of AMR, a Global Action Plan (GAP) was developed on AMR and adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2015. The Member Countries committed to develop National strategies and action plan by May 2017.
On its part, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has established an inter-departmental Working Group on AMR (AMR-WG) initially at its headquarters. The AMR-WG developed an Action Plan on AMR to support the GAP.