One Health, One Voice against the misuse of Antimicrobials
FAO addresses the interconnectedness of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) to key One Health players in Ghana
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a major global threat of increasing concern to human and animal health, having implications for both health and food security, and the economic wellbeing of millions of farming households.
As part of the AMR National Action Plan for Ghana, FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), organized a two-day training to raise awareness on the fight against the inappropriate use of antimicrobials and minimize the impact of AMR throughout the food value chain.
With the support of the Government of Ghana, this training brought together participants from the Ghana Veterinary Medical Association, Ghana Medical Association, the Environmental Protection Agency, and development partners including Fleming Fund, USAID Breakthrough Action, Ghana AMR Secretariat, and WHO. Moreover, the training provided information on the responsible use of antimicrobials at all levels of the participants’ practices (field, veterinary clinics, hospitals).
Benita Anderson, the Representative of the Government of Ghana from the Veterinary Service Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, expressed that this training will broaden the wide perspectives of AMR and Antimicrobial Use (AMU) in the use of antibiotics in their daily practices.
Jocelyn G. Brown Hall, the FAO Deputy Regional Representative for Africa and Officer-in-Charge of the FAO Ghana office, said “It is estimated that nearly 10 million people may die by 2050 if the ongoing AMR pandemic is not rapidly and adequately addressed.”
Strengthening the AMR awareness at the animal – human – ecosystem interface
The community of Ghana Veterinary Medical Association, Ghana Medical Association, and Environmental Protection Agency were able to understand (i) the mechanism of AMR and AMU in animals, environment, and humans and (ii) its socio-economic impact. Considering the integral role that these three professional bodies play, it is critical to improve their awareness and understanding on AMR and AMU through effective communication and education, to ultimately reduce the misuse of antibiotics at the human-animal-environment interface.
Baba Soumare, Regional Manager for FAO-ECTAD West and Central Africa, said “Ghana is one of the few countries in West Africa that has developed a National Policy and Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, which
was launched by the President of the Republic of Ghana, in March, 2018.” He added “In this respect, Ghana could be a lead in the West African Region in the fight against AMR.”
FAO fights global AMR threats
Antimicrobial resistance is a global threat to people’s lives and livelihoods. Resistant pathogens are spreading between people and animals, and through food, water, waste, and soils, threatening food production and endangering human health and the health of wild, domesticated, and farmed animals. According to the AMR review, if no actions are taken, the global economy may lose more than USD 10 trillion dollars annually by 2050 because of AMR. This makes AMR a problem that crosses sectoral boundaries and requires a coordinated "One Health" response.
In order to tackle the AMR issue in a holistic approach, the tripartite, including FAO, World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), and World Health Organization (WHO), together with public and private organizations, share responsibility for addressing AMR at the animal-human-ecosystems interface.
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