One Health Day 2019

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A One Health approach is crucial in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the Fleming Fund aims to engage all sectors to do just this.

The Fleming Fund recognises the importance of tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through a One Health approach. As bacteria spreads freely around the environment, it is vital that a multi-sectoral response, one that includes human health, animal health and environment, is employed.

The Fleming Fund is helping to catalyse One Health collaboration and coordination in 24 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, South and South-East Asia. This includes supporting the establishment of One Health AMR Technical working groups reporting to the national coordinating committee. The Fleming Fund country grants are designed to proportionally support activities in animal health surveillance alongside human health. Additionally, the country grants portfolio includes efforts to coordinate data sharing across the sectors and strong collaborative governance.

Due to the complexity of AMR, a range of interventions are needed. For example, in Laos the Fleming Fund has been used in a number of different capacities all of which have taken a One Health approach. Earlier this year the UK’s International Reference Centre for AMR in Agriculture and Environment undertook a mission to Laos to establish methodologies for antimicrobial residues detection. This included the development and training of basic field and laboratory protocols for residue monitoring through the food chain such as field sampling at retail and slaughter plants, sample preparation and extraction.

The Fleming Fund also support the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in delivering AMR focussed interventions in Laos. Specifically, FAO have reviewed the legal instruments that have relevance to AMR and antimicrobial use (AMU), identifying areas where country level regulations could be strengthened to optimise the use of antibiotics. Alongside this and a number of awareness raising activities, the FAO, through the Fleming Fund and USAID, have contributed the development of the National Action Plan on AMR (2017-2020) as well as the Laos AMR Surveillance Plan in the Animal Sector.

These activities in the animal sector compliment the efforts undertaken in the health sector and through the Laos country grant, led by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The coordination and sharing of data across sectors will be strengthened also.