Iraq Action Plan of Antimicrobial Resistance (2018-2022).

This Action Plan of Antimicrobial Resistance is a 5-year nationwide multi-sectoral document, that follows the 'One-Health’ approach, aiming to (i) prevent, slow down, and contain the spread of AMR through the continuous availability of safe effective, and quality-assured antimicrobials; (ii) set out a comprehensive roadmap to deal with AMR; and (iii) minimize its impact on individual’s wellbeing, now and in the future. The NAP is the Iraqi answer to the high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly on antimicrobial resistance held in September 2016 which called for national, regional, and international political commitment to address the issue. To achieve the overall goal the document sets out the following 5 Strategic Objectives, each of them accompanied by a series of specific interventions (i) improve awareness and understanding of Antimicrobial Resistance through effective communication, education, and training; (ii) strengthen the knowledge and evidence base through surveillance and research; (iii) reduce the incidence of infection through effective sanitation, hygiene and infection prevention measures; (iv) optimize the use of antimicrobial medicines in human and animal health and control their residues in water and food; and (v) develop the economic case for sustainable investment that takes account of the needs of all countries, and increase investment in new medicines, diagnostic tools, vaccines, and other interventions.
To make agriculture more productive and sustainable, the NAP focuses on the animal sector and aims to (i) increase awareness and behavioral change of the general public and professionals in animal health on antimicrobial resistance; (ii) promote the importance of hygiene and immunization activities and promote the use of the vaccine; (iii) cooperate with media departments of ministries to conduct awareness programs that demonstrate the optimal use of antibiotics and the risk of using them without consulting veterinarians; (iv) strengthen legislation to regulate prescription and dispensing of antimicrobials; (v) generate a multi-sector AMR information sharing system in animals and environment; and (vi) prepare guidelines of optimal use of antibiotics in the veterinary field.
To increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters the interventions will be directed to (i) improve and strengthen Health Waste Management systems in both human and animal sectors; and (ii) improve access to safe water for human consumption and sanitation.
As for Governance, in April 2017 the Iraqi Ministry of Health approved the establishment of the AMR National Coordinating Committee (AMR-NCC) comprising policymakers from human health, animal health, and environment sectors in addition to the private sector with the main task of determining a national action plan to contain AMR and create a healthy nation with adequate access to quality medical services and effective medicines aimed at preventing the emergence and spread of AMR. Implementation of this Plan will take a staged approach over the period 2018–2022 and can be updated in response to the emerging issues. A monitoring plan shall be developed by the AMR team to identify indicators and set targets to monitor signs of progress. For follow-up, AMR units were established in each of the Ministries of Health and Agriculture involving the specialties concerned with implementing and following up the national action plan items and to communicate with the AMR-NCC.