Antimicrobial Resistance

The FAO and OIE pursue development of regional guideline for monitoring antimicrobial use at farm level in the Asia Pacific Region

29/04/2021

Second expert consultation meeting aimed at developing regional guidelines on the monitoring of antimicrobial use at the farm level

Bangkok, Thailand. The lack of specific guidelines on monitoring of antimicrobial use at farm level prompted the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (FAO RAP) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Regional Representation for Asia and the Pacific and its Sub-Regional Representation for Southeast Asia to work together to develop guidelines on this topic.  

FAO and OIE first held a regional consultation among regional and international antimicrobial use (AMU) monitoring experts in November 2018. This event led to the development of a draft guideline, which FAO, OIE and external experts further revised. To further refine and contextualize the draft guideline to Asia, FAO and OIE convened the second Regional Consultation on 27-29 April 2021 attended by more than 80 country-nominated participants and international experts. 

Monitoring of antimicrobial use is important

OIE Sub-Regional Representative Dr Ronello Abila emphasized the importance of addressing AMR citing the impact on Asia if it is not addressed. “The global implications of AMR on countries cannot be overstated. To combat AMR, collection of quality data on AMR and antimicrobial usage (AMU) in the animal sector is essential , hence it  merits attention and collective action. Farm level AMU data collection is crucial to improve the national level AMU monitoring” Dr Abila said.

 “Monitoring antimicrobial use (AMU) is essential in the fight against AMR,” Dr Kachen Wongsathapornchai Regional Manager of the FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) told participants. He emphasized that it is one of the key tools in addressing AMR in public health, animal health and production, food safety, fisheries and aquaculture, and the environment. 

Filling the AMR and AMU monitoring and surveillance gaps in the animal health sector 

The joint FAO/OIE regional guidelines on AMU monitoring is envisioned as a practical tool for countries in Asia. It will provide guidance on the definition of AMU monitoring objectives; the development of a data collection protocol; how to manage, analyze and report data to different stakeholders; and how to operationalize monitoring in practice. Dr Scott Newman, FAO Senior Animal Health and Production Officer and AMR Lead Technical Officer, is hopeful that it will be a “game changer for the implementation of farm-level AMU monitoring.”

This effort demonstrated the strong collaboration between FAO and OIE, and the commitment of many stakeholders in Asia and internationally to tackle AMR collectively. This was highlighted in the closing remarks made by Dr Hirofumi Kugita, the OIE Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, and Dr Newman.

This draft volume is part of a series of regional monitoring and surveillance guidelines developed to mitigate AMR in the region, led by FAO. The first one to be published is on the monitoring and surveillance of AMR in bacteria from healthy food animals intended for consumption.

The United States Agency for International Development is supporting the production of these guidelines as part of their regional efforts to address antimicrobial usage in Asia’s livestock, aquaculture and crop production systems.

 

Related links:

Share this page