Indonesia Declares Five Concrete Steps to Control Antimicrobial Resistance
Editor
23 November 2022 15:40 WIB
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.
