National Action Plan for Combating Antimicrobial Resistance in Greece in the Framework of Unified Health 2019-2023.

This National Action Plan, considering the development of antimicrobial resistance one of the most important public health problems worldwide affecting medicine, veterinary medicine, agriculture, livestock and the environment, provides for immediately limiting the consumption of antimicrobial substances in humans and animals, with targeted actions and measures within the framework of the One Health approach. Therefore, the government considers it is necessary to implement a cross-sectoral National Strategic Action Plan, with the aim of preventing and controlling infections, limiting the use of antibiotics, the absence of antibiotic residues in food, monitoring trends in antibiotic resistance and use, raising awareness of the public and all involved bodies on the issue, improving the development of knowledge and research. Considering its cross-sectoral implementation, this Action Plan includes six areas of action: 1) surveillance, including: consumption of antibiotics; 2) infection control and prevention measures; 3) judicious use of antimicrobial substances; 4) information, education, awareness; 5) research and development; 6) partnership development.
The National Action Plan is structured as follows: Chapter 1, concerning: growth and spread of microbial resistance; current status of antimicrobial resistance and impacts. Chapter 2, concerning: main goal, objectives and related actions; brief development of all three sectors through the targeted areas of action; joint actions within the framework of uniform health. Chapter 3.1, concerning human sector and focusing on: definitions; hospital environment; bodies and agencies of the Ministry of Health involved in the implementation of the Action Plan; overview of actions. Chapter 3.2, concerning veterinary sector and focusing on: prudent use of drugs and antimicrobial substances; evaluation indicators; overview of actions. Chapter 3.3, concerning environmental sector and focusing on: information, education and awareness; research and development. Concerning targeted actions and measures, the Action Plan focuses on: transmission of antibiotic resistant microbes to humans and animals; transmission of antibiotic resistant microbes in the food chain and development of preventive measures, such as packaging requirements and HACCP system; transmission of antibiotic resistant microbes in the environment, particularly through the organic waste, municipal sewage, and waste water; international cooperation to tackle antimicrobial resistance; risk assessment; identification of specific infectious diseases and promotion of vaccination programmes.