World Antibiotic Awareness Week (WAAW) is celebrated from 18-24 November every year. The Tripartite organizations –FAO, OIE, and WHO announced the theme of WAAW 2021 as ‘Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance’. The main objective of the campaign is to increase awareness of global antibiotic resistance and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers, and policymakers to avoid the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.
Indian Association for Advancement of Veterinary Research (IAAVR) in collaboration with Zenex Animal Health India Pvt. Ltd. had organized an exclusive seminar on the occasion of WAAW 2021. The webinar titled ‘Managing AMR in context of Public & Animal Health’ was held on 18th November 2021 at a virtual platform. Shri Atul Chaturvedi, Secretary, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Govt. of India, had inaugurated the session as the chief guest. Dr. Rajesh Bhatia, Former Director- Communicable Diseases, WHO- SEA region and FAO India consultant joined the webinar as the Guest of Honour. Other guest speakers and panelists had joined from diverse sectors including Federation of Asian Veterinary Association, Central Drug Research Institute, ICAR- Institute of Fishery Technology, Pharmaceutical R&D center, Indian Federation of Animal Health companies, and Animal Healthcare industry executives.
Shri Atul Chaturvedi, Hon’ble Secy, Animal Husbandry & Dairying in his inaugural address, mentioned AMRas multifaceted issue having deep linkage in Animal & Environmental health and increasing global travel of man and material has been responsible for disseminating drug-resistant pathogens worldwide. Mr. Chaturvedi has stressed on the need of creating infrastructure and management system to tackle the superbugs and highlighted the activities and initiatives of DAHD to reduce the burden of AMR. The department’s recognition of the areas of intervention for collaborative efforts to tackle AMR are mentioned: Awareness program of all stakeholders; Training of professionals & Supporting staff; Strict implementation of regulation for sales, storage& entry of Antimicrobials; Implementation of prescription based sales of antimicrobials; Education of farmers for implementation of withdrawal period after antimicrobials usage, Organizing farms to display daily details of treatment and feed composition; regular audit of feed &pharma industry; establishing correct diagnosis; ensuring availability of permitted drugs at all time at proper price and steps to check practice of treatment by owners and non-professionals. Department is working with FAO along with technical experts to review and revision of National Action Plan for the next 5 years. New initiatives undertaken by DAHD were also highlighted as strengthening diagnostic facilities, expansion of mobile veterinary clinic, strengthening disease surveillance and digital platform for livestock farmers, etc.
Dr. Rajesh Bhatia made a brief overview of the AMR situation in India as well as global perspective. Dr. Bhatia pointed out requirement 4Pstrategic initiative for containment of AMR:
1) Policy- formulation of committed
2) Pragmatic approach- collaborative works across sectors for successful implementation of One Health objectives
3) People- awareness among all stakeholders including ignorant farmers to make them in alignment
4) Professionals- commitment of skilled professionals to take the lead and to join hand with Govt initiative.
Dr. Quaza Nizamuddin, President, Federation of Asian Veterinary Association (FAVA) made a presentation on ‘Empowering Veterinarians in Asia to fulfil their roles on the Global Action plan on AMR. Dr. Quazaelaborated FAVA- FAO collaboration with 5 strategic plans for 2021-25 to address the AMR issue:
1)Increase Awareness among current & future veterinarians
2) Strengthening disease surveillance & Research
3) Advocating good practices in infection prevention & control (Herd Health / Biosecurity & Hygiene)
4) Promote Appropriate use of Antimicrobials
5) Strengthening governance and sustainability
Dr. Bhupendra N Singh, Professor & Head, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute made a detailed presentation on the Anti-mycobacterial drug & genomic-driven approach of drug developments. Dr. Singh specifically highlights the challenges & goals of successful TB therapy and genomics for rational drug screening to overcome drug resistance.
Dr. Susim Ray, Head- Technical (Poultry), Zenex AH, and Dr. Kashinath Viswanathan, Scientist, Cellular microbiology- Zydus Research Centre, demonstrated their research work on Isolation of noble probiotic strain and its development for commercial application in Indian poultry. The presentation highlights the screening of microbiome from the health birds and isolation & selection of most appropriate strains for application in commercial birds which can be a potential alternative to the antibiotics use in poultry birds.
Dr. G K Sivaraman, Principal Scientist, ICAR- Central Instt. of Fishery Technology, made presentation on antibiotics use in aqua healthcare and AMR challenges & mitigation strategies. Dr. Sivaraman mentioned surveillance on antimicrobial use and AMR in aquaculture is fragmented & heterogeneous which is considered to be one of the major challenge. Dr. Sivaraman mentioned awareness, disease diagnostics, Biosecurity measures, and the use of alternatives to antibiotics as the AMR mitigation strategies.
During Panel discussion Dr. Arun Atrey, MD & CEO-Zenex Animal Health, appreciates the govt. initiative and the road map to tackle AMR crisis in India. Dr. Atrey addressed the need of infrastructure development and diagnostic facility of the animal healthcare sector as the first step towards achieving the desired objective. Dr. Atrey spoke about the effective awareness program for disease prevention through vaccination & biosecurity measures as well as regulation of antibiotic sales through prescriptions. Dr. Atrey had expressed concerns on the spread of misinformation on animal healthcare practice or on animal produce which at times seriously impacts the industry and ultimately affects the livestock farmers. Such activities need to be viewed seriously to prevent avoidable losses to the farming community. Dr. Atrey mentioned few initiatives undertaken by the Animal healthcare industry like supporting the implementation of the withdrawal period of the drug regulation, voluntary withdrawal of Colistin, etc., and the commitment to support all Govt. initiatives for the successful implementation of One Health.
Mr. Vijay Teng, Immediate Past President, INFAH and President –Global Animal Health & Fertility, Intas pharmaceuticals, elaborated the importance of antibiotics in animal welfare and the need to preserve its efficacy through prudent use. Mr. Teng stressed on disease prevention & control through vaccination and biosecurity as the best possible way to minimize the use of antibiotics. Mr. Teng also mentioned the importance of diagnostics for prudent use of drugs.
Another panelist Dr. Vijay Makhija, President INFAH (Indian Federation of Animal Health Companies) gave an overview of INFAH initiatives and activities towards ethical animal healthcare practice in sync with the regulations. Dr. Makhija spoke on the need of investments in R&D for new vaccines, diagnostics, nutritional & management solutions for prudent use of drugs, and containment of AMR. Dr. Makhija also mentioned about harnessing digital platforms in veterinary practice that has wider scope for disease prevention & control.
Concluding the panel discussion, Dr. Rishendra Verma opined the complexity of the AMR issue; on one hand there is a continued evolutionary process of pathogens that resulted mutations and drug resistance and on the other hand there is limited research in new drug developments. Awareness among all stakeholders and disease prevention need to be taken on priority to stop the spread of AMR menace.
Dr. Praveen Malik, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, DAHD, GOI had participated in the event and suggested to submit specific recommendations on each of the six components (Awareness; Surveillance; Training; Infection Prevention Control, Optimization of Antibiotics’ use and India’s leadership in the containment of AMR) of National Action Plan.
