Webinar : Addressing the Global Challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance

Category: Apeir News
Published: Friday, 31 January 2020 22:05

Webinar : Addressing the Global Challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:00 - 2:45 pm GMT +7

APEIR in Addressing Antimicrobial Resistanse

The rise of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a severe and growing threat in the fight against infectious disease. The total number of AMR cases in the US reported by CDC reach 2 million cases per year, resulting in around 23,000 death per year1. In Asian countries, there are more than 50% of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)2. AMR also can develop and transmit between human and food-producing animals by direct exposure or through the food chain and the environment3. It is a multisectoral problem encompassing the interface between humans, animals, and the environment. Therefore, AMR indicates the need for a multisectoral and multidimensional “One Health” approach to curb its occurrence.

The Asia Partnership on Emerging Infectious Disease Research (APEIR) as the research network of emerging infectious disease respond this threat through organizing the Webinar on AMR National Action Plan (NAP) Implementation initiated by Connecting Organizations for Regional Disease Surveillance (CORDS)/ Ending Pandemics and University of San Francisco.

The Webinar was successfully conducted on December 3, 2019, with 222 total participants. The participants of the Webinar were from various institutions and background including: university, government, and private. This Webinar is the first International Webinar which share Asia countries experience in implementing AMR NAP that invites expert from varied sectors to show multi-sectoral perspective in addressing AMR. Besides the successful Webinar that have great enthusiasm from the participants, APEIR also successfully made the collaboration with several institutions to conduct the Webinar together, such as Indonesia One Health University Network (INDOHUN), Indonesian Clinical Training and Education Centre (ICTEC), Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, and Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia in conducting the Webinar.  The speakers, moderator, and experts of the Webinar were Dr. Regina Berba, M.D., M.Sc., the Chair of the Philippines National Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, and Dr. Harry Parathon, MD. SpOG(K), Head of Indonesia National AMR Control Committee; Prof. Wiku Adisasmito, DVM., MSc, Ph.D.,the Coordinator of APEIR; Dr. James McGrane, Team Leader of the FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease (ECTAD) in Indonesia; Dr. Tikiri Wijayathilaka, MVM, MSc., The AMR Technical Officer for World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Sub-Regional Representation for southeast Asia. , dr. Adityo Susilo, Sp.PD-KPTI,  Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital; Dr. Adela Maghear, senior advisor from Public Advice International Foundation (PAI), Dr. Marlo Libel, MD, MPH, Senior Advisor of Ending Pandemics, Prof. Amin Soebandrio, MD, Ph.D., the Steering Committee of the APEIR.

Dr. Berba shared The Philippine has some success in implementing its AMR NAP according to their national key achievement. The factor that contributed to the Philippine success story is the strong support from the government for AMR. Robust partners and the involvement of varied stakeholders within the country also strengthen the implementation of the AMR NAP in the Philippine. It shows the multi-sectoral collaboration has implemented in the Philippine. In Indonesia, the multi-sectoral collaboration for AMR program already mentioned in the AMR NAP.  However, the implementation AMR NAP still needs to be improved. Dr. Parathon said that Indonesia had evaluated for the implementation of AMR NAP following the Program Evaluation guideline by WHO. In general, especially in the human health sector, the highest percentage (44% out of 100%) of AMR NAP implementation in Indonesia was in 4th phase (full operation). This evaluation also needs to be applied in other sectors to foster the implementation of AMR control in all sectors in Indonesia.

From the country presentation in the Webinar, we got the point that leadership and political interest could be the factor that contributed to the good implementation of NAP on AMR in the countries.  It will also support multi-sectoral collaboration, which is the key of success for the implementation of the AMR NAP and for addressing AMR threat.

The collaboration and discussion among institutions from academic sector, non-government organization, UN Bodies, government, and private sectors in the Webinar is the innovation that conducted by APEIR as an effort to address AMR threat.  This model could also strengthen communication among countries and stakeholders, and able to initiate a global effort in addressing AMR.