Presentation of the National Action Plan to fight antibiotic resistance

Salwa Zargouni

Direction Générale des Services Vétérinaires, Tunisie

Resistance to antimicrobial agents has become a global issue, and Tunisia has not been spared. The nation is now committed to fighting this alarming development. A technical committee was created on January 2, 2015, by order of the Minister of Health, to develop a national plan of action in accordance with the "One Health " approach, linking human and animal health, and the environment. With the support and commitment of WHO, FAO, and OIE, the members of this committee have achieved considerable progress towards the four axes of the plan, which are public, medical professionals, and legislators’ sensitization to the dangers of microbial antibiotic resistance, monitoring of resistance to antimicrobial agents, prevention and control of infections, and judicious use of antimicrobial agents in human and veterinary medicine.

The first steps of the plan of action include the implementation of the four main strategic objectives. Much has been achieved to date, albeit on a fragmented basis. Beyond these specificities, the plan to fight antibiotic resistance spread in the veterinary field requires a comprehensive approach and an intersectoral coordination.