AMR IEC materials and ASF guidelines to be utilized across Lao People's Democratic Republic
©FAO/Vilaylack Khounvisith
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) handed over antimicrobial resistance (AMR) communication and awareness materials and the guidelines on African swine fever (ASF) prevention and control in smallholder pig farming to the DLF of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The generous support was made possible with the contribution from the United Kingdom Agency for International Development (UK Aid) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)'s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA).
Awareness of AMR is limited and, in some cases, needs to be addressed, especially among farmers, as the antimicrobials are misused in the livestock production sector. This can lead to antimicrobial resistance - the antimicrobials will no longer work to treat infections or diseases in animals and humans. As a result, this leads to treatment failure, higher costs, longer recovery times for patients, and in severe cases, people may die. The antimicrobial awareness materials will help farmers to use antimicrobials wisely.
Meanwhile, ASF is causing considerable losses in the pig production sector. To assist the DLF in combating this deadly disease, FAO conducts training programs for livestock officers to detect, prevent and control ASF. The ASF guidelines will be distributed to all district livestock officers to strengthen further their knowledge of preventing this disease.
At the handover ceremony, the Director-General of the Department of Livestock and Fisheries Vilayphone Vorraphim raised this concern about the limited public awareness of AMR and transboundary animal diseases, particularly ASF. She also acknowledged the contribution from FAO, UK Aid and BHA. She emphasized that "these public awareness materials on AMR and the ASF guidelines will surely ease the work of DLF at the ground level to help prevent the misuse of the antimicrobials and control the outbreak of the ASF. With better awareness of the substances, the reduction in the use of the antimicrobials will contribute to the overall goals specified in the National Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy 2019-2023, while increased knowledge of ASF could help prevent and control its outbreak," she said.
The supplies consist of polo shirts, caps, tote bags, tumblers, desk calendars, notebooks on AMR and ASF guidelines, namely monitoring and surveillance of ASF; farm biosecurity, slaughtering, and restocking; culling and disposal of pigs in an ASF outbreak and clean chain approach for ASF in smallholder settings, that have a total combined value of over USD 25 000. The supplies will be delivered to all 18 provinces in the Lao People's Democratic Republic to ensure each area is equipped with sufficient awareness materials to conduct relevant awareness campaigns and activities.
At the ceremony, Chanthalath Pongmala, Assistant (Programme) to the FAO Representative to Lao People's Democratic Republic, stressed that "FAO is committed to supporting the Government of Lao People's Democratic Republic through the DLF in the fight against zoonotic diseases and other health threats such as AMR. Livestock diseases have a severely adverse impact not only on farmers but also on the food system, food security and nutrition, and income security, for the rural population, especially for the poor and the most vulnerable. Many people, especially in the rural population, have been pushed back to hunger and poverty due to the loss of livestock caused by diseases such as ASF. With these AMR awareness materials and ASF guidelines, we could fight AMR and transboundary diseases more effectively, save livestock and human lives and gradually build back better, as one of the best preventive approaches," he continued.
During the handover ceremony, Chanthalath Pongmala also thanked UK Aid and BHA for their kind contribution and partnership to support the Government of Lao People's Democratic Republic in combating poverty and hardship.
This article was first published here.
Contact
Bounmee Maokhamphiou
National Outreach Specialist
Vilaylack Khounvisith
National Communication Consultant