Evaluation Of Fao S Role And Work On Antimicrobial Resistance Amr

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of microorganisms to fight antimicrobial compounds, reducing the efficacy of treating diseases in humans, animals, and plants. AMR risk is outpacing human population growth, owing to misuse of antimicrobials in large quantities in food systems, and is a serious threat to food security and sustainable development. FAO, with the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is supporting countries in developing and implementing their One Health National Action Plans on AMR. The eventual aim is to ensure sustainable use of antimicrobials to minimize AMR risks, in alignment with the Global Action Plan on AMR. The scope of the evaluation covers FAO’s entire work on AMR up to early 2020 and its role in the global AMR architecture. It examines FAO’s organizational and institutional set-up for AMR work. FAO has a strong mandate to work on AMR, implementing activities in 45 countries and providing far-reaching support on AMR National Action Plans (NAPs). FAO’s technical expertise is a key comparative advantage in its work on AMR. It is underpinned by the strong scientific grounding of FAO’s work, engendered in its AMR working groups and supported by its collaboration with research centers, universities, and the Tripartite organizations. Nevertheless, the work is relatively recent and, given the long impact pathways, it has had limited results. A comprehensive strategic and programmatic approach would increase the likelihood of achieving results in combating AMR. FAO should prioritize its work in a long-term strategy on AMR that recognizes the seriousness of the threat and is fully integrated into the Organization’s Strategic Framework. The strategy should set out FAO’s long-term role in combating AMR and that of its divisions and offices, as well as its approach at the country and regional level. FAO should consolidate its work on AMR through a strong programmatic approach with a central coordination and management structure that links with the Regional Offices and is supported by dedicated core funding.

This paper summarises the approach proposed for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of both the implementation of the GAP and the resulting effects on AMR and on health. M&E is required at both national and global levels; for management, to identify and respond to barriers to progress, and to inform course correction, in order to increase impact and value for money. M&E is also needed for accountability, within countries and at regional and global levels. This includes reporting back to the global health community, including the governing bodies of WHO, FAO and OIE, and the Interagency Coordination Group on AMR that was established by the UN General Assembly.

This report presents the results of an FAO Expert Working Group Meeting “Scoping exercise to increase the understanding of risks of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in aquaculture”. The meeting was attended by 14 experts from nine countries, representing intergovernmental organizations, academia, research institutions and the private sector. A risk profiling exercise was conducted on two bacterial pathogen groups (Streptococcus spp. and Vibrio parahaemolyticus) selected based on their importance to fish health and public health. Both bacterial agents affect tilapia, the second largest species group produced in aquaculture globally, which contributes significantly to global food and nutrition security. The risk profiling exercise for the two bacterial pathogens revealed that in both cases, the AMR risks posed by these pathogens were likely to be low and thus conducting a full risk assessment was not recommended. The risk profiling outlined in Codex Alimentarius was used as guidance, but it was recommended to review and adapt it as appropriate for aquatic AMR risk assessment. The Expert Group agreed to develop a project proposal to contribute to a multisectoral project "Towards reducing aquaculture-based AMR through a cross-sectoral approach". The project concept note will include investigation on two bacterial agents important to both animal and human health, namely: Streptococcus spp. and mesophilic aeromonads.

Globalization of the food supply has created conditions favorable for the emergence, reemergence, and spread of food-borne pathogens-compounding the challenge of anticipating, detecting, and effectively responding to food-borne threats to health. In the United States, food-borne agents affect 1 out of 6 individuals and cause approximately 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths each year. This figure likely represents just the tip of the iceberg, because it fails to account for the broad array of food-borne illnesses or for their wide-ranging repercussions for consumers, government, and the food industry-both domestically and internationally. A One Health approach to food safety may hold the promise of harnessing and integrating the expertise and resources from across the spectrum of multiple health domains including the human and veterinary medical and plant pathology communities with those of the wildlife and aquatic health and ecology communities. The IOM's Forum on Microbial Threats hosted a public workshop on December 13 and 14, 2011 that examined issues critical to the protection of the nation's food supply. The workshop explored existing knowledge and unanswered questions on the nature and extent of food-borne threats to health. Participants discussed the globalization of the U.S. food supply and the burden of illness associated with foodborne threats to health; considered the spectrum of food-borne threats as well as illustrative case studies; reviewed existing research, policies, and practices to prevent and mitigate foodborne threats; and, identified opportunities to reduce future threats to the nation's food supply through the use of a "One Health" approach to food safety. Improving Food Safety Through a One Health Approach: Workshop Summary covers the events of the workshop and explains the recommendations for future related workshops.

WHO has launched new guidelines on use of medically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals, recommending that farmers and the food industry stop using antibiotics routinely to promote growth and prevent disease in healthy animals. These guidelines aim to help preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics that are important for human medicine by reducing their use in animals.

One Health addresses health challenges arising from the intertwined spheres of humans, animals and ecosystems. This handbook is the product of an interdisciplinary effort to provide science-based guidance for the evaluation of One Health and other integrated approaches to health. It guides the reader through a systems approach and framework to evaluate such approaches in a standardised way. It provides an overview of concepts and metrics from health and life sciences, social sciences, economics, and ecology that are relevant for the evaluation of the processes involved, as well as the characterisation of expected and unexpected outcomes of One Health initiatives. Finally, the handbook provides guidance and practical protocols to help plan and implement evaluations in order to generate new insights and provide meaningful information about the value of One Health. The handbook is intended for practitioners, researchers, evaluators as well as funders of integrated approaches to health and beyond.

An accessible overview of the challenges in tackling AMR, and the economic and policy responses of the 'One Health' approach. It will appeal to policy-makers seeking to strengthen national and local polices tackling AMR, as well as students and academics who want an overview of the latest scientific evidence regarding effective AMR policies.

Summary report published as technical document with reference number: WHO/HSE/PED/AIP/2014.2.