Call for collaborative action to combat antimicrobial resistance
In an effort to combat the global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), Viet Nam has called for unified action across all sectors. This call to action was made during a high-level roundtable meeting on AMR in HaNoi, on 29 August, where representatives emphasized the urgent need for collaboration to address this pressing issue. During the roundtable, stakeholders from various sectors, including government agencies, United Nations, embassies, research institutions, academia and development partners, came together to discuss the critical importance of addressing AMR. The Vietnamese government stressed the necessity of implementing the national action plan on AMR, focusing on responsible antimicrobial use in both health and agriculture sectors. Read more here.

Consultative workshop on national AMR plan for terrestrial animal health and aquatic animal health
FAO and the General Directorate of Animal Health and Production (GDAHP), the Forestry Administration and the Fisheries Administration of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, co-organized the consultative workshop on national AMR plan for terrestrial animal health and aquatic animal health from 29 to 30 August in Kampot. The workshop was jointly funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Fleming Fund and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Republic of Korea.

Evaluating the 2020-2024 national AMR action plan
A meeting was convened to assess the outcomes of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan (NAP AMR) 2020-2024 on 3 September. The meeting, organized by FAO in partnership with the Coordinating Ministry of Human Development and Cultural Affairs and with the support from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, World Health Organization, World Organisation for Animal Health and the European Union, brought together stakeholders to evaluate the progress made in addressing AMR in Indonesia. Read the news here.

Fiji national action plan for AMR mid-term review multisectoral workshop
Supported by USAID, FAO, WHO and the multisectoral Fiji National Antimicrobial Resistance Committee (NARC) conducted a multi-sectoral workshop for the mid-term review of Fiji’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NARC NAP AMR) 2022-2025 in Fiji from 5 to 6 September. On the first day of the workshop, participants reviewed the implementation status of the NAP AMR, identified key responsible agencies and organizations and discussed priorities for the remaining implementation period. On the second day, there were concurrent work planning sessions for the animal health and public health sectors, aiming to identify the NAP AMR activities that can be supported by FAO and WHO, respectively, under the Global Health Security investment in Fiji. The outputs of the workshop will feed into the development of the next NAP AMR for Fiji.

Meeting on the national animal health strategic plan
FAO, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services (DGLAHS) of the Ministry of Agriculture and with support from USAID, conducted a meeting on the national animal health strategic plan in Bogor from 4 to 6 September. The meeting aimed to operationalize the national animal health system with the veterinary authority. Participants contributed to producing several outputs such as a draft roadmap for strategic infectious animal health zoonoses control (PHMS-Z), addressing highly pathogenic avian influenza, rabies, brucellosis, foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin disease. A strategy on surveillance roadmap for PHMS-Z was also drafted during the meeting.

Surveillance system exhibition at a high-level forum
FAO participated in the Bappenas high-level forum for multi-stakeholders in Bali from 2 to 3 September, with support from USAID. The event aimed to promote country ownership and inclusion in development cooperation, improve accountability and transparency, and address current obstacles that hamper development and equality. International delegations from developed (OECD DAC) and developing (G77 and ASEAN) countries, private sectors, non-governmental organizations and academics attended this exhibition. FAO showcased an integrated health Surveillance Information system for Zoonosis and Emerging infectious diseases (SIZE).

Laboratory roadmap development workshop
Through USAID and the Pandemic Fund project, FAO supported the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) to organize a three-day laboratory roadmap development workshop from 3 to 5 September in Nagarkot. The workshop aimed to develop a roadmap for strengthening Nepal's veterinary laboratory system based on earlier assessments using the FAO Laboratory Mapping Tool. Facilitated by FAO experts from the regional office, it was attended by senior officials from DLS, the central veterinary laboratory and other DLS laboratories. The workshop was conducted in collaboration with the central veterinary laboratory.

Farmers field school established
FAO, the Department of Animal Health, MARD and Thai Nguyen sub- Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health established the farmer field schools (FFS). The initiative was carried out with financial support from the United Kingdom Agency for International Development (UKAid) and aimed to improve farm biosecurity and animal management practices to reduce antibiotics use in small-scale poultry farming and test data collection tools for antimicrobial usage in Thai Nguyen province. The expected success of the FFSs is likely to be extended to other localities in Viet Nam in the future.

Workshop on zoonotic priority diseases risk mapping
FAO and DGLAHS, through USAID funding, conducted a cross-sectoral risk mapping workshop from 2 to 6 September. The workshop was designed to enhance the skills of technical staff from different ministries and improve their ability to effectively map disease risks. This event is part of FAO’s collaborations with the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Science, University of Melbourne to develop the competencies of technical staff from various ministries in assessing the risks of priority zoonotic diseases and emerging infectious diseases.