Fiji's Ministry of Health and Medical Services today launched their three-year National Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan.
Fiji is the first country in the Pacific to develop and launch a national plan for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The launch follows the endorsement of the Action Agenda for Antimicrobial Resistance in the Western Pacific Region by the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in 2014 and the endorsement of the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance by the World Health Assembly in May 2015. The global action plan urges all Member States to develop national AMR plans by May 2017. Fiji's plan offers a model for other countries to adapt.
Fiji to prioritize AMR
AMR threatens the effectiveness of antibiotics in preventing and treating an increasing range of infections. The rapid emergence and spread of AMR presents health-care systems with serious challenges. Without effective antimicrobials, the success of modern medicine in organ transplantation, chemotherapy and major surgery could be compromised.
The recently completed AMR situation analysis in Fiji highlighted key challenges:
- Limited awareness and a lack of national comprehensive policies for AMR;
- Lack of a national surveillance systems to monitor AMR and antimicrobial use; and
- Limited regulation and implementation of health system responses to AMR.
Fiji has prioritized AMR and the Cabinet has endorsed the National AMR Action plan together with the formation of a multisectoral National AMR Committee.
The plan includes five key strategies to combat, or minimize the impact of, AMR:
- Improve awareness and understanding of AMR through effective communication, education and training.
- Strengthen nationally coordinated surveillance systems.
- Reduce the incidence of antimicrobial resistance events through improved infection prevention and control, sanitation and hygiene, and wellness measures.
- Optimize the use of antimicrobial medicines in human and animal health.
- Establish and ensure governance, sustainable investment and actions to combat AMR.
The Fiji experience
WHO's technical and funding cooperation with Fiji on AMR included support to complete the country situation analysis, facilitation of two stakeholder workshops and support to draft the National AMR Action Plan.
In moving forward with implementation of the plan, the Honourable Minister of Health and Medical Services, Mr Jone Usamate emphasized the importance of multisectoral engagement to combat AMR:
"I am glad that the National Plan has fulfilled my wish with the formation of multi-stakeholder committee to oversee the implementation of the AMR programme…the establishment of a national AMR committee is to ensure the plan is executed and its objectives are achieved"
The Director of Pacific Technical Support and WHO Representative to the South Pacific, Dr Liu Yunguo, congratulated Fiji on their commitment and initiative in taking action on AMR. Dr Liu reiterated that WHO will continue to provide technical support to Fiji when needed.
The launch of Fiji's National AMR Action Plan coincides with the first global Antibiotic Awareness Week celebration from 16 to 22 November 2015.