Luanda — The Angolan Government is committed to strengthening the National Integrated and Comprehensive Surveillance System, to monitor the use of "antimicrobials" and resistance patterns in the human, animal and environmental health sectors, recently assured in the United States of America (USA) the minister of Health, Sílvia Lutucuta.
When speaking at the High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance, within the scope of the United Nations General Assembly, taking place in New York, the government official highlighted that this system provides real time data necessary to guide public health policies and adjust the implementation of plans, including clinical guidelines.
It also made progress in promoting and controlling the rational use of antimicrobials in human, animal and agricultural medicine, improving the regulation of their use practices.
According to the minister, all efforts will only have an impact with strong risk communication, community involvement, from childhood, and education of professionals in the areas involved, stressing that national campaigns will be reinforced to educate the public, as well as the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) theme in the training of health, veterinary and agricultural professionals.
"To continue moving forward and be more efficient and effective in the fight against AMR, Angola is strengthening the health sector with concerted actions that take the form of well-equipped microbiology laboratories, to detect, monitor and report AMR accurately, among other initiatives", she highlighted.
Sílvia Lutucuta considered that it is essential for strengthening cooperation between countries and international organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), for sharing information, identifying best practices, mobilizing resources to harmonize global strategies with local adaptation.
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She added that Angola is also working to increase its budget in the Health Sector to be aligned with the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance approved in 2015.
The minister expressed that Angola also supports the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, to accelerate global multisectoral, coordinated and comprehensive response action, with a view to facing the antimicrobial resistance crisis together and protecting the health of current and future generations.
On the other hand, Sílvia Lutucuta said that Angola supports the Declaration on behalf of the G77 and China, considering it urgent to implement, at all levels, integrated and multisectoral approaches in which strategies and efforts are aligned with the guidelines of the "One Só Saúde" (Only One Health), as well as reinforcing effective and essential cooperation to face a crisis.
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