As part of the nationwide celebration of the Antibiotic Awareness Week, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with support from various Food Safety Regulatory Bodies of the country launched the iAMResponsible campaign on November 19, 2018.

The campaign seeks to urge stakeholders for responsible use of antimicrobial, practice of good animal husbandry, raise awareness, and strengthen capacity in monitoring and surveillance to reduce effects of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

According to World Health Organization, AMR is a condition when microorganisms like bacteria, fungi and parasites develop resistance to antimicrobial.

As a result, the use of antimicrobials drugs for treating livestock, poultry and aquaculture health problem becomes ineffective and poses a serious threat to global public health and overall food security.

The persistent overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in livestock, poultry, aquaculture health, as well as with human health sector can lead to emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. This phenomenon paved way for an intensive action on all sectors of government and the society, through a One Health Approach.

Currently, with funding support from the Fleming Fund of the Department of Health of the United Kingdom, FAO is supporting about thirty (30) countries including Philippines in the development and implementation of their multi-sectoral national action plans against AMR.

FAO has also recognized the Philippines as one of the first countries who made effort in responding AMR, with the launching of a National Action Plan to Combat AMR on 2015 during the very first Antibiotic Awareness Summit in the country.

“As the demand of consumers for meat products increases, the standard required by the industry also increases,” BAI OIC Director Dr. Ronnie D. Domingo said.

To intensify FAO-DA-BAI AMR project, a Regional AMR Council will be created in all regional field offices of the DA.

BAI will also conduct a local campaign starting next year on the prudent use of antimicrobial drugs. ### (Kristel Merle, DA-AFID)