Health Ministry Urges United Approach To Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance

Director of Veterinary Public Health in the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), Dr. Linnette Peters, has charged stakeholders in the Americas to come together to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans and animals.

AMR occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change and become resistant to the antibiotics used to treat the infections they cause.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that AMR is one of the most complex global public health threats, and no single government or organisation can tackle it alone.

Dr. Peters is, therefore, imploring stakeholders to take a multisectoral approach to address the issue.

“It cannot be overemphasised that a coherent approach is needed at all levels in our attempt to address this problem; an approach that is multisectoral, including humans, veterinary, agricultural, finance, environment and consumers,” she noted.

She was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 25th Seminar on Harmonisation of Registration and Control of Veterinary Medicines at the Royalton White Sands hotel in Trelawny on Monday (September 23).

Dr. Peters said the Ministry continues to advance efforts to address AMR through regulation of the registration of pharmaceuticals by the Standards and Regulation Division and antimicrobial resistance testing for HIV.

In addition, research is being conducted on antimicrobial usage and infection prevention at the University of the West Indies (UWI).

“[Antimicrobial] infection prevention and control is a priority programme of the Ministry. Our food safety and veterinary public health teams work closely to ensure standards for local and imported food products, and to this end, rolled out a pilot project focused on salmonella resistance in antibiotics in poultry in 2016. This was completed in Kingston and St. Andrew as well as St Catherine,” Dr. Peters outlined.

Some 200 participants from 25 countries in the Americas are participating in the seminar, which is being hosted by the Americas Committee on Veterinary Medicines (CAMEVET) from September 23 to 27.

The event is being held for the first time in the English-speaking Caribbean.