Australia’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy – 2020 and Beyond.

The 2020 Strategy builds on the original 2015 strategy, broadening its ambit to encompass food, the environment and other classes of antimicrobials such as antifungals and antivirals.
The Strategy is supported by seven key objectives that guide all sectors. Effective action across these objectives will be driven by the overarching objective of transparent governance arrangements that entails clear responsibilities at the local, jurisdictional and national level to ensure leadership, engagement and accountability for actions to combat antimicrobial resistance. Four ‘pillar objectives’ (numbers 2 to 5: Prevention and Control of Infection and the Spread of Resistance; Greater Engagement in the Combat Against Resistance; Appropriate Usage and Stewardship Practices; Integrated Surveillance and Response to Resistance and Usage) will work concurrently to a) prevent and control infections and the spread of resistance; b) improve engagement amongst stakeholders; c) practise better antimicrobial stewardship and management; and d) undertake effective surveillance and threat responses. Supporting the four pillar objectives are two further objectives (numbers 6 and 7: Strong Collaborative Research Agenda Across All Sectors; Strengthen Global Collaboration and Partnerships) for research and international collaboration and partnerships. Each objective outlines priority areas for action to focus efforts and to guide the development of action plans.
To enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, the Plan proposes several interventions, these include: stewardship programmes, drive education and training initiatives across all relevant sectors and increase accessibility to evidence-based best-practice information, among others.
Under this Strategy the Australian government will lead the response to Antimicrobial resistance through a coordinated effort across all levels of government – at the Commonwealth, state, territory and local government level – as well as partnerships across the human health, agriculture, animal health and environment portfolios, will be essential. In addition private sector, professionals, research community and society play a key role in the management of this complex public health threat.