Vietnam to works harder on antimicrobial resistance: Minister

Tokyo (VNA) –Vietnam commits to working closely with the international community to effectively address antibiotic resistance related issues, Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien has asserted.

The minister made the remark while joining her counterparts from Japan, Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Thailand at the Meeting of Asia Health Ministers on Antimicrobial Resistance in Tokyo, Japan on April 16.

In her speech, Minister Tien highlighted Vietnam’s successes in the field, citing the launch of the national action plan on antimicrobial resistance prevention in 2013-2020; the signing of a multi-sector agreement with Vietnam’s development partners in fighting antimicrobial resistance in June last year; and a campaign to raise public awareness of safe antibiotic use last November.

Hosted by the Japanese Government in conjunction with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the meeting aimed to share the experience of countries in preventing antimicrobial resistance, while discussing the building of national multi-sector plans in the field, and shaping the contents of the agenda for the G7 meeting slated for next month in Ise-Shima, and also the G7’s Health Ministers Meeting in Kobe, Japan in September.

Health ministers and WHO’s representatives focused their discussion on efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance in each country, and on a regional and global scale, and the d rawbacks of improperly using antibiotics for the health of humans, animals and the environment.

The relationship between antibiotic use and global health security, and multi-sector coordination mechanisms were also on the table.

Vietnam is one of the leading nations in implementing activities to prevent diseases in humans and animals within the Global Health Security Programme, including antimicrobial resistance prevention in domesticated animals. The Vietnamese Government formed the “ One Health Partnership ” last March, which represents Vietnam’s strong commitment to promoting multi-sector coordination in controlling diseases in animals and antimicrobial resistance in domesticated animals.

Participants to the meeting approved the Tokyo Statement to promote a ntimicrobial resistance, pledging to build medical systems capable of launching rapid response , foster multi-sector and international cooperation at the national, regional and global levels, and connection with UN agencies and international organisations in the field.

The meeting also launched the “One Health Initiative” in Asia-Pacific with cooperation among regional countries to build a roadmap to implement related plans, focusing on enhancing communication work of proper antibiotic use, outlining and implementing antibiotic management regulations, and promoting research in the field.

Earlier, a technical consultative meeting on antibiotics in Asia was organised from April 14-15, with the participation of technical experts from the ministries of Health and Agriculture of the twelve countries.-VNA