Swapna Susan Abraham
Abstract
AMR is a significant public health issue of 21st century. The issue is complex with multi-sectoral involvement calling for One Health approach. There is a global call for AMR control and the issue is highlighted in multiple high level global platforms like WHO, FAO and WOAH, providing guidelines and action plans. Laboratories have a key role to play in combating AMR. Despite the availability of strategic documents and action plans, implementation at the field level faces many challenges in LMICs due to the lack of supporting operational guidelines and disparity in disciplinary capacity and priorities. This model proposal allows a sequential operational process to implement action plan which can be adopted at the institutional, departmental or sector level. It has been prepared based on the current Indian laboratory scenario in animal sector. Though it is designed mainly for animal laboratory sector, the author’s expertise domain, it is not unique to the sector and is flexible for expansion and modifications according to local settings.
Keywords: action plan, antimicrobial resistance, laboratories, surveillance, network, operationalising.