Pakistan Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plan.

This Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plan is a cross-sectoral policy document with the vision that no Pakistani should suffer from AMR in the coming years. The primary objective of the AMR National Action Plan is to ensure that current Antimicrobials remain effective as long as possible for all those who need them while minimising the expense associated with indiscriminate use.
The In order to achieve the overall goal, the following major strategic priorities are proposed in the NAP: I. Development and implementation of a national awareness raising and behavioral change strategy on antimicrobial resistance; II. Establishment of an integrated national AMR surveillance system (human, animal usage and resistance monitoring); III. Improve prevention & control of infections in health care, community, animal health, food, agriculture and environment; IV. Update and enforce regulations for human and veterinary antimicrobial utilization; V. Phase out use of antimicrobials as Growth Promoters and provide appropriate alternatives (such as prebiotics, probiotics); VI. Integration of AMR in all public health research agendas including research on vaccines; and, VII. Estimation of health and economic burden of AMR for decision making. The main focus of the NAP has been on major critical aspects such as burden of AMR and surveillance, IPC practices, antimicrobial stewardship efforts and judicious use of antibiotics, in all fields including human, agriculture, poultry and veterinary medicine. Special emphasis has been on the ‘low hanging fruits’ such as improving awareness and understanding on AMR, education and training commencing from the school and undergraduate levels. Simple measures like effective compliance with sanitation and hygienic practices at the community and in health care settings can greatly reduce the incidence and transmission of infections. Optimal use of antimicrobials both in human and animal health is essential for ensuring the continuing effectiveness of these medicines. The NAP includes activities to implement national measures for strengthening and developing steps to curtail antibiotic use in humans and animals.