TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Agriculture, together with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the poultry and pharmaceutical industries in Indonesia declare five concrete steps to prevent antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Indonesia Tuesday, Nov. 22, during the discussion commemorating World Antimicrobial Awareness (WAAW) Week which falls on 18 to 24 November 2022.

On this occasion, the Director General of Livestock and Animal Health of the Ministry of Agriculture explained that the declaration included five important points to encourage AMR prevention, particularly in the poultry and pharmaceutical industries.

The five points are: (1) using antimicrobials wisely with the right type and dosage for the recommended period according to the prescription; (2) improving biosecurity and vaccination to reduce infection rates; (3) reducing the use of antimicrobials on farms and implementing good waste management; (4) investing in the use of vaccines, innovative antimicrobials and new technologies, and; (5) collaborate between industry and academia to share data and information in efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.

The poultry and pharmaceutical industries that signed the declaration included PT. Charoen Pokphand Indonesia, PT. Japfa Comfeed Indonesia Tbk, PT. Medion Farma Jaya, PT. Satya Samitra Niagatama, PT. Agrinusa Jaya Santosa, and PT. Elanco Animal Health Indonesia (as a representative of two private poultry industry stakeholders and four veterinary pharmaceutical companies). The six corporations also encourage other companies to join them in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

"This declaration is a form of commitment and a concrete step of industry support for the 2020-2024 National Action Plan for Antimicrobial Resistance Control," said Nasrullah, Director General of Livestock and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture.

"This declaration is a follow-up to the results of the G20 meeting in Bali, where G20 member countries committed to increasing efforts to strengthen food and agriculture systems through effective collaboration with relevant stakeholders, through the promotion of public-private partnerships, investment in capacity building, and innovative solution to the problem of sustainable production impacts," he added. On the G20 occasion, the Minister of Agriculture also invited various stakeholders, especially the private sector, to make a real contribution to control AMR in Indonesia.

One of the biggest threats to global health

Livestock is one of the most important sub-sectors in the efforts to control antimicrobial resistance. According to Nasrullah, AMR can threaten the productivity of livestock and has the potential to hinder the community’s food supply because sick animals lose their ability to kill microorganisms that infect livestock.

"Antimicrobial resistance not only has an impact on increasing animal health management challenges but also a threat to public health because resistant bacteria can spread through the food chain," said Nasrullah.

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Antimicrobials are necessary for the livestock sub-sector and are widely used in the poultry industry, therefore an initiative is needed from the poultry industry to play a substantial role in efforts to prevent AMR through the application of good practices at the cultivation level and the supply of food of animal origin.

Nasrullah also emphasized that this momentum is a platform for strengthening Public-Private Partnership (PPP) cooperation in the poultry industry in carrying out good practices of prudent and responsible use of antimicrobials.

Follow up on shared commitments

The global health system is practicing a One Health collaborative approach for the effective control of AMR, through the promotion of best practices to reduce the use of antimicrobials to prevent the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant microbes in humans, animals, and the environment.

"As a follow-up to this declaration, we really hope that the industrial sector can be directly involved in the development and implementation of AMR policies in the future," said Nasrullah while appreciating the support of the private sector. He sees that this declaration was the first step towards establishing sustainable cooperation to reduce the rate of AMR.

"The commitment of private sectors becomes vital in achieving a reduction in the use of antimicrobials in broiler farms due to prophylaxis. In the future, the livestock industry is also expected to implement compartmentalization on farms, meet the requirements for veterinary control numbers (NKV) for laying hens, and contribute to AMR/AMU surveillance. This is to ensure the quality of animal protein products is safe from antimicrobial resistance so that children can grow up healthy and smart, and- stunting can be prevented," said Agus Suprapto, Deputy of Coordination of Health Quality Improvement and Population Development, Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs.

“Enhanced practices of responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials, monitoring the quantities of antimicrobials used in animals and high level of awareness are pivotal to combat antimicrobial resistance and WOAH will continue to support Indonesia as a member of the organization through various means,” said Dr. Ronello C Abila, WOAH Sub-Regional Representative for Southeast Asia during the opening remarks a talk show on AMR.

“Multi-sectoral collaboration and coordination are urgently needed for effective control of AMR threats in Indonesia to achieve a more sustainable and resilient agri-food system,” said Rajendra Aryal, FAO representative for Indonesia and Timor Leste. FAO will continue to support the Indonesian government in efforts to control AMR using the One Health approach with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

AMR is a complex issue that requires an integrated and multi-sectoral approach. In the spirit of One Health, this joint declaration serves as the foundation for future collaboration between the government and the private sector, as well as fosters new initiatives from the multi-stakeholders in an effort to control the rate of AMR in Indonesia.

FAO

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