From: <b class="gmail_sendername">shila kaur</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kaur_shila@yahoo.com">kaur_shila@yahoo.com</a>></span> HAIAP, Penang<br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal" align="center"><b style><span lang="EN-MY">Side Meeting on “Antibiotic resistance – a threat to global health
security,” Pallais de
Nations, Geneva, 21 May 2013, 12:30 – 14:00</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">While<span style> </span>the plenary
meetings of the 66<sup>th</sup> WHA continue to unfold in the Assembly Hall of
the Pallais de Nation, side meetings taking place mainly during early mornings,
lunchtime and evenings, and organized by country delegations, other UN agencies
and civil society groups have seen steady and outstanding attendances from WHA
delegates.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">One such meeting – “Antibiotic resistance: a threat to
global health security” – was a crowd puller.<span style>
</span>Organized by the delegations of the UK, Northern Ireland and Sweden, the
attraction for this side meeting was obvious: a top-notch panel of high level
public health officials and leading world experts on antimicrobial resistance
(AMR) and the urgency of the subject matter.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">Delegates and observers heard presentations from<span style> </span>Prof Otto Cars, leading expert on AMR and
Global Coordinator of ReACT; Dr Keiji Fukuda, Assistant Director General,
Health Security and Environment, WHO; Prof Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical
Officer, UK; Mr Goran Hagglund, Minister of Health, Sweden; Dr Madeleine de Rosas
Valero, Under Secretary of Health, Philippines; Mr R.K Jain, Ministry of
Health, India; and Prof Chris Baggely, Chief Medical Officer, Australia. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">And the messages underpinning the presentations from
all speakers were that a strategic approach was needed to manage the state of
AMR globally.<span style> </span>This strategic
approach<span style> </span>would involve increasing
awareness around the topic of AMR at all levels and strengthening national
capacity to handle AMR.<span style> </span>In addition
there was an urgent need for innovation on existing antibiotics; development of
newer and better antimicrobials and therapeutic approaches; as well as new
diagnostic tests.<span style> </span>Apart from these, old
business models had to be discarded to make way for newer ones that promoted
the longest possible use for any antibiotic.<span style>
</span>To this end, what was requisite was to reach out to business and
economists.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">Prof Otto Cars urged national governments to consider
putting in place antibiotic survival plans.<span style>
</span>“The science with respect to antibiotics is difficult; in fact many
scientists have left this area of study and work.<span style> </span>To prevent misuse of newer antibiotics, new
business models were imperative so that there is no misuse/abuse through
rampant and unregulated marketing.<span style> </span>Apart
from this, a massive education campaign on ABR must take place concurrently,”
he said</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">Dr Keiji Fukuda drove the point home when he stated,
“The impact and resolution of AMR is going to be measured in years and possibly
decades.<span style> </span>AMR has very concrete
implications which will affect everybody.<span style>
</span>Everyday common infections are going to become untreatable.<span style> </span>Hospitals will begin to close down because of
an inability to combat and control AMR.<span style>
</span>The HIV, TB and Malaria games are going to be lost.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">Dr Fukuda reiterated the need for global surveillance
and reporting on AMR to establish baseline data on the state of AMR globally.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">In her presentation, Dr Madeleine informed that, “In
our rush to focus on human health and AMR, we have forgotten the animals.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">“Antibiotics are used like vitamins in animals.<span style> </span>In the Philippines, cockfights are a national
sport and Filipinos believe that antibiotics are necessary to enhance the
performance<span style> </span>of the cocks and protect
them from harm.<span style> </span>After the cockfight, the
birds are cooked in a special dish and consumed, pesticides residues
notwithstanding,” she added.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style><img src="file:///C:\Users\Aviva\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image002.jpg" alt="F:\DCIM\101_PANA\P1010700.JPG" height="451" width="602"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">The state of AMR in humans is excacerbated by the use
of antibiotics in veterinary practice.<span style>
</span>“The withdrawal period is not adhered to, and so antibiotic residues
find their way into human food,” she stated.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">According to Dr Madeleine, there is a mandatory policy
in the Philippines for a national health plan on AMR involving multi
stakeholder collaboration from the relevant government departments, including
agriculture, health and local government, as well as the private/business
sector.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">Mr Jain shared India’s experience and informed that
the country had launched several initiatives to combat AMR including the Jaipur
Declaration and the New Delhi Call for Action.<span style>
</span>India is currently embarking on a sentinel surveillance system to
coordinate use of AB in view of widespread use and easy availability of
antibiotics in the country.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">Prof Chris Baggely, Chief Medical Officer, Australia
informed that when the country introduced its<span style>
</span>Antibiotics Stewardship Initiative, the result was a decrease in the
incidence of resistance in hospitals.<span style>
</span>Australia’s Hand Washing Hygiene Initiative has been emulated by other
countries worldwide.<span style> </span>“Since 2007, the
reducing pipeline for antibiotics has become increasingly clear.<span style> </span>In view of this, the role of infection
control cannot be de-emphasised or discounted,” he stated.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">“By revamping the accreditation process, all hospitals
( both public and private) must put in place antimicrobial stewardship
programmes.<span style> </span>This is a compulsory
standard from January 2013.<span style> </span>As a result
of this, the interest in AMR by CEOs of all hospitals had skyrocketed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY">Prof Dame Sally Davies and Mr Goran Hagglund, as
co-chairs, were emphatic in their concluding remarks: political will was
pivotal to push forward the AMR agenda nationally.<span style> </span>Health ministers present at the meeting were
urged to immediately implement national health plans for AMR.<span style> </span>What was clear from the proceedings was that
the nature of the debate around AMR was much more than just medical.<span style> </span>The social, economic and political contexts
could no longer be ignored nor dismissed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"><span style> </span>Report prepared
by:<span style> </span>Shila Kaur, Health Consultant, TWN
Penang.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"><span style> </span><span style> </span>21/5/13</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"><span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-MY"> </span></p>
<div><div style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><br></div></div></div><br>