(c) FAO, 2022

𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒈𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒖𝒑 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉

19 September 2022, Mahé –The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) together with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment, and the One Health National Platform launches a national workshop to evaluate the implementation of the antimicrobial resistance national action plan (AMR-NAP) and to assess the National Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System with the FAO-ATLASS tool.

What is antimicrobial resistance (AMR)?  

Antimicrobials (antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, antiparasitics) play a critical role in the treatment of diseases in humans, animals (aquatic and terrestrial) and plants. Their use is essential for food safety and for the well-being of humans, animals and plants. However, the misuse of these drugs promotes the emergence and spread of microorganisms that become resistant to them and this contributes to seriously compromising food safety, food security, and sustainable economic development.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is broadly defined as the ability of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites) to become resistant to antimicrobials. AMR is a natural phenomenon accelerated by the inappropriate use of antimicrobials in humans, animals, and plants.

As for all infectious diseases, surveillance is considered as one of the cornerstones for AMR management, and can provide key information for action in support of national and international strategies to tackle AMR. Although AMR surveillance systems are implemented in some countries, particularly in human health, surveillance networks in the food and agriculture sectors are very underdeveloped, if not non-existent. The "Seychelles draft National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance" was developed in 2017 and validated in May 2018.

“One health presents us with a platform where we can act in synergy to address issues at the interface of production, public health and environment. Across these multiple but interlinked domains, antimicrobial resistance presents a formidable challenge that demands a deployment all our capacities and all that modern science can muster. Overcoming that challenge would not be easy, but significant progress can be made under a common vision that rests on enhanced surveillance and knowledge exchange. Seychelles should this embrace this opportunity to collaborate with partners to enhance the capacity of its local experts to tackle this important issue’’ said the Minister of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment (MACCE), Flavien Joubert.

FAO-ATLASS Tool

The FAO-ATLASS tool comprises two main modules: the Surveillance module and the Laboratory module. The tool includes the FAO-ATLASS Progressive Improvement Pathway (PIP), which assists the country to prioritize actions for improvement and capacity building based on the PIP stage measured for all the laboratories assessed and for the five different pillars of the surveillance system: 1. Governance, 2. Data collection and analysis (epidemiology unit), 3. Data production network (laboratories), 4. Communication and 5. Sustainability.

The objectives of using the FAO-ATLASS methodology are:

1. To map and assess the national laboratory networks analytical capabilities to detect AMR in the food and agriculture sectors;
2. To assess national AMR activities related to data generation, collection and analysis, governance structure, communication, and sustainability;
3. To provide baseline information and identify further steps for improvement through the Progressive Improvement Pathway (PIP).

“The interdepartmental and multidisciplinary work on antimicrobial resistance covers a wide range of thematic areas in the food and agriculture sectors including food safety, Codex Alimentarius, animal health and production, plant production and protection, fisheries and aquaculture, water and environment, surveillance and epidemiology, legislation, information and communication” stated the FAO Representative, Mbuli Charles Boliko.

One of the core values of this initiative is the concrete and positive transformation of food systems in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner in order to achieve the 2030 Agenda for health and prosperity for all.