VietNamNet Bridge - US Ambassador Ted Osius on Wednesday pledged US support to combat anti-microbial resistance (AMR) in Vietnam at a gathering of the Vietnamese Ministers of Health, Agriculture and Rural Development, Industry and Trade, and Natural Resources and Environment, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom and international partners.

The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with technical and financial support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to engage in multi-stakeholder collaboration to address AMR in Vietnam.  

AMR is an emerging health threat in Vietnam and around the globe. Through misuse and overuse in health systems and in veterinary medicine, antibiotic resistance has increased and can lessen our ability as a global community to prevent diseases.

“In addition to the toll on human life, when infections can no longer be treated with available drugs, antibiotic-resistant infections add significant costs to the health care system. Together with the Government of Vietnam and our global partners, with US AID and US CDC, we are committed to providing technical expertise in the development of policies, surveillance, research, information sharing, and a multi-sectorial One Health approach to combating AMR,” said Ambassador Ted Osius.

The event also included an afternoon session with panel discussions and presentations that focused specifically on AMR. Combating AMR is one of 12 key targets of the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA).

The proposed 5-year target of GHSA is to support work being coordinated by WHO, FAO and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to develop an integrated and global package of activities to combat antimicrobial resistance, spanning human, animal, agricultural, food and environmental aspects.

In 2014, GHSA was launched as an effort by nations, international organizations, and civil society to accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats.

In collaboration with WHO, the US Government has been providing support to Vietnam’s government leaders and public health experts to enhance the prevention, detection, and response of disease outbreak emergencies.

Thu Ly