From the APS special envoy, Sokhna Khadydiatou Sakho
Geneva, May 31 (APS) – The “urgent and multisectoral action”, recommended by the World Health Assembly with the aim of “fighting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by following the + one health + approach” (a only health), represents “a pivotal moment” in the fight against this phenomenon, indicates the general director of the Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency of Senegal, Dr Oumou Kalsoum Ndao.
She presented Senegal’s declaration during a session focused on the theme “Antimicrobial resistance: accelerating national and global responses”. This session highlighted the “urgency” of this fight and called for a global and coordinated fight against antimicrobial resistance.
”A new 2024-2028 action plan is being finalized by the +One Heath+ platform of the World Health Organization, which brings together all stakeholders from different sectors (animal, plant, human) to update and guide the fight against antimicrobial resistance,” emphasized Dr Ndao.
She informs that several actions have been carried out in Senegal to combat this phenomenon. These include, among other things, the implementation of the plan to combat AMR, developed in 2017, laboratory capacity building, training of health personnel, stock management, pharmacovigilance, the rational use of medications, the development of a strategy for social change in behavior.
Doctor Oumou Kalsoum Ndao also discussed the creation of the Senegalese Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (ARP), the implementation of strategies for monitoring the quality of antimicrobial drugs at the supply chain level.
Spokesperson for Senegal at this session, she dwelt on the “challenges to be met despite these various interventions”. Among these challenges, she cited the strengthening of laboratory capacities (equipment, reagents, consumables and continuing training of staff), the detection and early management of infections due to antimicrobial resistant agents, the monitoring of national recommendations on antibiotic therapy according to surveillance data.
Senegal, through the voice of Doctor Ndao, thus welcomed “the efforts of the WHO secretariat in the development of a crucial report on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) which threatens all age groups in all areas. regions, particularly in the most affected low- and middle-income countries.
According to the report of the Director-General of the WHO Executive Board, held in December 2023, approximately 1.27 million deaths recorded in 2019 worldwide were due to drug-resistant bacterial infections.
SKS/ADL/ASG
