Saira Tarar calls for united efforts to combat Anti Microbial Resistance

ISLAMABAD, May 23: Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Mrs. Saira Afzal Tarar calls for united efforts to combat Anti Microbial Resistance.
Addressing a group of Health Ministers participating in the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Monday Pakistan Health Minister Saira Afzal Tarar called upon countries to make a united effort in combating Anti Microbial Resistence which is posing a major public challenge.
She said Pakistan at present has a huge burden of multi resistance bacterial infections leading to significant mortality and morbidity and limiting options for treating infectious diseases.
The Ministry of National Health Services has declared Antimicrobial Resistance containment as priority agenda
The Government of Pakistan also support the goal of Global Action Plan to ensure, for as long as possible, continuity of successful treatment and prevention of infectious diseases with effective and safe medicines that are quality-assured, used in a responsible way, and accessible to all who need them.
The Ministry has accordingly initiated some of the key initiatives to address the issue of AMR in the light of the strategic objective of the WHO Global Action Plan on the subjecy. These include designation of a national focal point, notification of an multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary AMR oversight committee. She said a National AMR Containment policy has been developed by Pakistan The policy has been developed through a consultative process and is in line with the strategic objectives of the WHO Global Action Plan.
The Ministry of NHSRC in collaboration with WHO and CDC USA are developing a roadmap for Global Health Security Agenda under which AMR has been identifie priority area for action. She said her Ministry was collaborating with other stakeholders, organizations and professional societies to undertake various initiatives like antibiotic stewardship program, developing different guidelines on AMR and capacity enhancement of AMR related laboratory diagnostics.-PR