Ha Noi, Viet Nam - The Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) of FAO Viet Nam in collaboration with the Department of Animal Health (DAH) organized the second Stakeholder Consultation Workshop to develop National Action Plan for reduction of AMU and AMR in Livestock production and aquaculture on 15 and 16 March. The workshop aimed to define the strategic actions and activities in detail and develop the operational plan for the implementation from 2017-2020. Organized with the financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the workshop gathered a total of 66 participants from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), pharmaceutical and feed companies, research institutes, and development partners.

The regional AMR project coordinator from FAO Regional office for Asia and the Pacific gave a presentation on the global and regional activities on AMR in Livestock and Aquaculture in Southeast Asia. The representative from Ministry of Health presented the public health National Action Plan 2013 – 2020 on combating antimicrobial resistance and highlighted that the National Action Plan (NAP) on reduction of antimicrobial use (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock production and aquaculture would complement the public health National Action Plan. Dr. Katharina Stärk, FAO international consultant, presented the NAP development process and the draft NAP with inputs and comments consolidated from various government agencies, international organizations and private sector through recent consultations.

Steps to initiate and carry out as well as leading and participating agencies of each activity under the five objectives were defined during the workshop. The five objectives include 1) Enforce policy and governance related to AMR and AMU in livestock production and aquaculture; 2) Increase awareness on AMU and AMR among livestock and aquaculture professionals, producers and consumers; 3) Implement good treatment and husbandry practices in livestock production and aquaculture; 4) Monitor AMR, AMU and antimicrobial residues in livestock production and aquaculture; 5) Facilitate inter-sectoral collaboration in the management of AMR risk.

Priority strategic actions proposed by the participants were 1) Improve the legal basis for AMR and AMU management in livestock and aquaculture; 2) Develop advocacy and communication tools and activities to increase awareness on AMR and AMU; 3) Implement good antibiotic use in livestock and aquaculture; 4) Quantify and characterize the occurrence of AMR in animals and along the food chain; 5) Quantify and characterize AMU in livestock and aquaculture production.

“FAO’s 39th Conference in June 2015 adopted Resolution 4/2015 on AMR, which recognized that AMR poses an increasingly serious threat to public health and sustainable food production. The resolution is a global call to actions to member states including Viet Nam, to address the multifaceted aspects of AMR. Therefore, I would like to reaffirm our support to reduce antimicrobial use and mitigate AM.” Mr Jong-Ha Bae, FAO Representative in Viet Nam stated at the workshop.