The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) recently published its 7th report on Antimicrobial use in animals, covering the period from 2017-2019. This article examines the insights revealed by the report, provides an overview of WOAH and antimicrobial drugs, and discusses the initiatives to tackle Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)
Founded as OIE, WOAH is an intergovernmental organization with 182 Member Countries in 2018, including India. Its responsibility is to enhance animal health globally by developing normative documents related to health regulations that member countries can adopt to guard against diseases and pathogens introduction. WOAH’s standards, recognized by the World Trade Organization (WTO), also serve as international sanitary rules. The organization operates from Paris, France.
Report Findings on Antimicrobial Use
The report reveals a 13% decline in global antimicrobial use in animals from 2017-2019. Out of 80 countries, 49 (predominantly from Asia, Far East, Oceania, and Europe) reported an overall reduction in antimicrobial use. On the contrary, 31 countries across African and American regions registered an increase in antimicrobial usage during the same period.
Also, there has been a decline in the use of antimicrobials as growth promoters, with 68% of the participants discontinuing their use. However, 26% of the participants continue using these growth promoters due to insufficient legislation or regulations.
About Antimicrobial Drugs
Antimicrobial drugs, or antibiotics, are substances used to kill or inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. They are essential in modern medicine for controlling and eradicating various microbial diseases.
Previously, minor cuts could lead to fatal bloodstream infections before the discovery of penicillin in 1928. However, these life-saving drugs are gradually losing their effectiveness due to misuse and overuse across various sectors, causing ‘Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)’, a phenomenon where microorganisms become immune to the drugs designed to kill them.
Initiatives to Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance
India launched the National Programme on AMR Containment in 2012 and established labs in State Medical College under it. It also rolled out the National Action Plan on AMR focusing on the One Health approach in April 2017. Another initiative is the AMR Surveillance and Research Network (AMRSN) launched in 2013 to capture trends and patterns of drug-resistant infections.
On the global front, the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) has been held annually since 2015. The Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) was launched by WHO in 2015 to eliminate knowledge gaps and strategize all levels. Additionally, the Third Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance in 2022 secured commitments from 47 countries to reduce antimicrobial use in animals and agriculture by 30-50% by 2030.
While the report shows some decrease in antimicrobial use in animals, there remains a need for continuous efforts to preserve the efficacy of antimicrobials and address the issue of antimicrobial resistance.
