Several ministries and Vietnam-based development partners have signed an aide-memoire in Hanoi on June 24 on cooperation on fighting drug resistance.
Signatories included the Ministries of Health, Agriculture-Rural Development, Industry-Trade, and Natural Resources-Environment. Among the development partners are WHO, FAO, UNICEF, USAID and the CDC.
The deal forms part of the country's efforts to combat drug resistance in the fields of health care, agriculture and environment protection.
"Drug resistance has become a greater risk that is now threatening people's health and the economy of Viet Nam due to the increasing and uncontrolled use of antibiotics," said health minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien at the signing ceremony.
Tien stressed that an alarming number of antibiotics can be found in food supply and ecological environment, while the legal framework and regulation system are currently inadequate for supervision, prevention and coping with the multilateral risks of drug resistance.
Tien said an overall collaboration on policy and action between ministries and sectors with support from the community and development partners would be an important foundation for combating drug resistance in Vietnam.
Under the framework of the aide-memoire, the sides will take action together, following the 2013-2020 national action plan on combating drug resistance.
They will also work together to develop communication and education plans to strengthen the community's awareness on the reasonable use of antibiotics.
According to a 2009 survey on drug resistance, reported by 15 hospitals in Hanoi, HCM City, Hai Phong, Hue and Da Nang, 30-70 percent of gram-negative bacteria were resistant to cephalosporins of the third and fourth generations and nearly 40-60 percent were resistant to aminoglycosides and flouroquinolones.
On average, 274.7 defined daily doses (DDD) of antibiotics are consumed per 100 occupied bed days (100 day-bed) in Viet Nam. The rate was significantly higher compared to that of the Netherlands with 58.1 DDD/100 day-bed or that of hospitals in 30 European countries at 49.6 DDD/100 day-bed.-VNA
Signatories included the Ministries of Health, Agriculture-Rural Development, Industry-Trade, and Natural Resources-Environment. Among the development partners are WHO, FAO, UNICEF, USAID and the CDC.
The deal forms part of the country's efforts to combat drug resistance in the fields of health care, agriculture and environment protection.
"Drug resistance has become a greater risk that is now threatening people's health and the economy of Viet Nam due to the increasing and uncontrolled use of antibiotics," said health minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien at the signing ceremony.
Tien stressed that an alarming number of antibiotics can be found in food supply and ecological environment, while the legal framework and regulation system are currently inadequate for supervision, prevention and coping with the multilateral risks of drug resistance.
Tien said an overall collaboration on policy and action between ministries and sectors with support from the community and development partners would be an important foundation for combating drug resistance in Vietnam.
Under the framework of the aide-memoire, the sides will take action together, following the 2013-2020 national action plan on combating drug resistance.
They will also work together to develop communication and education plans to strengthen the community's awareness on the reasonable use of antibiotics.
According to a 2009 survey on drug resistance, reported by 15 hospitals in Hanoi, HCM City, Hai Phong, Hue and Da Nang, 30-70 percent of gram-negative bacteria were resistant to cephalosporins of the third and fourth generations and nearly 40-60 percent were resistant to aminoglycosides and flouroquinolones.
On average, 274.7 defined daily doses (DDD) of antibiotics are consumed per 100 occupied bed days (100 day-bed) in Viet Nam. The rate was significantly higher compared to that of the Netherlands with 58.1 DDD/100 day-bed or that of hospitals in 30 European countries at 49.6 DDD/100 day-bed.-VNA
