Antimicrobial resistance, the resistance that microorganisms develop to antimicrobial drugs making those drugs ineffective, is a pressing global health challenge. In 2015 the World Health Organization adopted a global action plan on antimicrobial resistance and following this, WHO Member States agreed to publish individual national action plans by May 2017.
In a new analysis published this week in the WHO Bulletin: The natural environment: a critical missing link in national action plans on antimicrobial resistance Graziella Iossa and Piran White investigate the extent to which the environment has been integrated into the plans. They found that the action plans feature human and animal health prominently, but that most do not specifically incorporate the natural environment, and hence fall short of achieving a genuine One Health approach. One Health seeks to improve health and well-being through the integrated management of disease risks at the interface between humans, animals and the natural environment.
The authors call for greater integration of the natural environment into national action plans and future strategies, so that we can maximise our efforts to tackle the increasing threat posed by antimicrobial resistance.
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