The AMR Multi-Partner Trust Fund supports Morocco in establishing the first One Health governance mechanism to tackle AMR
In 2019, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO), launched the AntimicrobialResistance Multi-Partner Trust Fund (AMR MPTF). Established for two years and with funding up to USD 1 million, this project aims to drive forward the implementation of the national multi-sectoral plan to prevent and control AMR in Morocco through the "One Health" approach.
The project's development stage showed the excellent dynamic already existing between the key partners working in the field of One Health. Building on this existing collaboration between technical teams, the organizations joined forces with three ministerial departments of health, agriculture and environment to raise awareness on AMR and advocate for intersectoral partnership at a strategic level.
For the first time in Morocco, the AMR MPTF project enabled establishing a One Health governance system for AMR bringing together key stakeholders to address common issues. This mechanism consists of:
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A steering committee with representation at a highlevel by the ministers of the three governmental departments and the representatives of FAO, OIE and WHO;
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A technical coordination committee comprised of the technical officers of FAO, OIE and WHO and the focal points of the three ministerial departments;
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A national scientific project coordinator was explicitly recruited by the project, whose task is to federate all partners and facilitate the implementation of this project.
The official launch ceremony of the project was a crucial step to raise awareness, mobilize and engage high-level decision-makers around the issue of AMR. The meeting involved the Minister of health and the Secretaries general of agriculture and environment as well as the representatives of FAO, OIE and WHO. Their active participation showcased their strategic vision and commitment tocollectively tackling AMR.
Additionally, a national workshop on "the Progressive Approach to Antimicrobial Resistance Management (PMP-AMR)" was organized under the coordination of FAO and the involvement of the technical coordination committee. The approach consists of a step-by-step self-assessment of the implementation status of the National Action Plans on AMR. While oriented to the food and agriculture sectors, the workshop highlighted the methodology and assessment tools that can be tailored to the other sectors to achievesustainable antimicrobial use and stewardship.
Among the otherorganized activities was a scientific webinar on current AMR data in Morocco targeted to professionals in human health, animal health and the environment.
Since adopting this collaborative approach, several structural activities are currently in progress, namely establishing an integrated AMR monitoring system, the regulatory aspects for the institutionalization of AMR programs, the evaluation of laboratory capacities towards an accreditation system and a communication plan to raise awareness on AMR.Each of these themes is addressed through a One Health approach.
The governance mechanisms adopted in this project have made possible a solid and permanent common basis for reflection and sharing possible, which allows structural capacity strengthening of the three ministerial departments concerned by AMR in Morocco.