Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman will host an international conference on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on November 24-25 this year.
The conference aims to accelerate response to antimicrobial resistance at the national, regional and global levels and to enhance international cooperation in this respect. This was unveiled during a press conference held at InterCity hotel here on Monday.
Dr Saif Salim al Abri, Director General of Disease Surveillance and Control at the Ministry of Health, head of the conference’s organizing committee, said that the programme will explore case studies and the best practices on controlling antimicrobials in different parts of the world. The event will be attended by representatives of 50 countries.
Al Abri pointed out that the event will be organized by Oman, represented by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, acting in cooperation with the United Nations’ Quartet on monitoring and resisting AMR, the WHO, the OIE (World Organization for Animal Health), the UNEP and the FAO, as well as the GCC Health Council.
He added that the directors-general and heads of the World Health Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health, the United Nations Environment Health Programme, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization will participate in the conference, while an invitation was extended to a group of global experts in health, livestock health, the environment, economy and agriculture.
Al Abri stressed that the conference is an opportunity to stimulate interactive dialogue on the approach of ‘One Health’ (considering that the health of all is interrelated) and thereby address AMR collectively.
Al Abri said: “One of major outcomes of the conference will be the ‘Muscat Declaration on Accelerating the One Health Approach’ for actions on AMR, towards meeting the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Another outcome is expected to be the approval of proposed indicators for AMR follow-up. It is hoped that the Muscat Declaration will be submitted for discussion at the UN General Assembly’s 2024 high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance.”
The conference will include a recommendation on establishing a global framework for an AMR surveillance system that comprises all aspects of the ‘One Health’ approach, besides incorporating AMR in the United Nations Framework for Cooperation towards Sustainable Development, Al Abri said.
He noted that the conference focuses on the role of the environment in the spread of antimicrobial resistance. It will also underscore the importance of monitoring AMR and the use of antimicrobials in the three milieus (human, animal and environment).
Al Abri explained that the conference aims at exchanging expertise and successful experiences in implementing both the ‘One Health’ and the ‘One Government’ approaches to help mitigate the threat of AMR and to furnish grounds for cooperation and partnership between countries and international organizations.
Meanwhile, Dr Abdullah Nasser al Harassi, Minister of Information, underscored the significance of Oman’s hosting this conference, which, he said, reflects the country’s leading role in spreading knowledge. The conference constitutes an opportunity to enhance Oman’s global position as a destination for international events and activities.
Dr Abdullah cautioned against spreading rumours about any disease because such phenomena reflect negatively on society. He stressed the importance of inculcating a culture of deriving knowledge from its original sources (specialists in the field) and propagating it to all segments of society.
On his part, Dr Hilal Ali al Sabti, Minister of Health, said, “Oman’s hosting this global conference on antimicrobial resistance reflects the keenness of all countries on addressing AMR due to its impact on human health, animal health and the environment.”
Al Sabti stressed that there are well-known means of regulations for dispensing medicines and ensuring the proper use of antibiotics prescribed for combating diseases. He underlined the need to prescribe and apply the appropriate antibiotic for each disease.
Sulaiman al Dakheel, Director-General of the GCC Health Council, said that the Council will take part in the forthcoming event due to its great importance. He noted that the Council works in this context through the Central Registration Programme designed to register medical drugs and devices and following up post-marketing pricing and veterinarian registration.
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