Afghanistan National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2017-2021.

This National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR) 2017 – 2021 is a cross-sectoral policy document. The overarching goal of the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR) is to effectively combat antimicrobial resistance in Afghanistan, and contribute towards the global efforts to tackle this public health threat. The scope of the NAP- AMR focuses primarily on resistance on in bacteria.
In order to achieve the overall goal, the following specific objectives of the NAP- AMR are identified in the Policy: 1. Define the strategic priorities, key actions, outputs, responsibilities, and indicative timeline and budget to slow the emergence of AMR in Afghanistan and strengthen the organizational & management structures to ensure intra- & inter sectoral coordination with a One Health Approach; 2. Combat AMR in Afghanistan through better understanding and awareness of AMR, strengthen surveillance, prevention of emergence and spread of resistance bacteria through infection prevention and control, optimize use of antibiotics in all sectors and enhance investments for AMR activities, researches innovation; and 3. Enable monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the NAP- AMR implementation based on M&E framework. Six strategic Priorities have further been identified under the NAP-AMR (i) improving awareness and understanding of AMR through effective communication, education and training (ii) strengthening knowledge and evidence through surveillance (iii) reducing the incidence of infection through effective infection prevention and control; (iv) optimizing the use of antimicrobial agents in health, animals and food; (v) promoting investments for AMR activities, research and innovations; and (vi) strengthening Afghanistan’s leadership on AMR. Strategic priorities 2 aims to strengthen knowledge and evidence through surveillance of AMR, with 2 focus area strengthening laboratories in human, animal, food and environment sectors, as well as ensuring surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in human, animal, food and environment sectors. Strategic priority 3 attempts to reduce the incidence of infection through effective infection prevention and control in healthcare to reduce the burden of infection, in animal health and food to reduce spread of AMR and antimicrobial through animals and food, and in community and environment to reduce the spread of AMR and antimicrobials in the environment. Strategic priority 4 shall optimize the use of antimicrobial agents in health, animals and food through strengthening regulation, ensuring access and surveillance of antimicrobial use, antimicrobial stewardship in healthcare as well as animal health and agriculture. Strategic priority 5 aims to promote investment for AMR activities, research and innovations through new medicine and diagnosis, innovation to develop alternative approaches to manage infectious diseases, sustainable financing to ensure adequate resources for containment of AMR. Strategic priority 6 focuses on strengthening of Afghanistan’s leadership on AMR through international collaborations to ensure Afghanistan contribution toward global efforts to contain AM, national collaboration to facilitate collaboration among vertical disease control programs and national stakeholders, and state level collaborations to ensure action at the ground level against AMR.