Latvia “One Health” Plan for Containing Antimicrobial Resistance and Prudent Use of Antibiotics for 2019-2020

The Latvia “One Health” Plan for Containing Antimicrobial Resistance and Prudent Use of Antibiotics for 2019-2020 is a national cross-sectoral plan of Latvia. Its main objective is to define and facilitate targeted and effective implementation of intervention to combat spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and to ensure the coordination of the actions of the involved institutions and organizations.
More specifically, the Plan provides for the following directions of activity: improvement of AMR monitoring; improvement of the spread, consumption, accessibility and surveillance/ registration of antimicrobials, promotion of responsible and prudent use of antibiotics; surveillance, control of infectious diseases and improvement of prevention; restricting the spread of multi-resistant tuberculosis in public health; reinforcing the collaboration between institutions in the field of AMR; boosting science and research in the field of AMR; reinforcing the capacity of laboratories; and improving the education, training of specialists and public awareness raising regarding the issues of AMR.
Notably, the Plan aims to improve antimicrobials consumption and usage data collection and use in the field of animal health; to limit AMR development and spread by reducing use of antimicrobials, improving animal husbandry and feeding conditions, ensuring responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials; reduce antimicrobials use in the development of an animal control of communicable diseases, prevention and biosecurity measures; to promote animal infections timely control of diseases and prevention by improving necessary veterinary medicinal product availability; to promote veterinary and community health sector cooperation in the field of zoonoses; collect and store AMR examination data in the field of animal health; improve AMR detection method; to improve the education of veterinarians and animal owners on AMR restriction in animal health; summarize antimicrobials usage data agricultural animal health in the field; to strengthen food safety and veterinary medicine state supervision and control in agriculture; to promote animal infectious diseases timely restriction and prevention, improving necessary veterinary medicinal product availability; and to support food chain and veterinary medical state monitoring laboratory examination.
The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture (within their respective competences) are determined as the responsible institutions for the coordination of the implementation of the measures provided for in the Plan. By 30 March 2021, the institutions involved in the implementation of the plan shall prepare and submit to the Ministry of Health information regarding the progress of the implementation of the plan.