One Health and AMR: Fostering Public Voices

Joining Details

Moderators: Natalie Vestin (@CIDRAP_ASP) and Vanessa Carter (@theAMRnarrative)
Guest Co-host: Ibrahima Kouma (@alkhalilkouma)
Date: 3 November 2023
Where: X.com (Previously Twitter)
Time: 4pm GMT (4pm UTC, 5pm CET, 6pm CAT, 9.30pm IST)
Hashtag: #theAMRnarrative

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How to participate:
Join us for a 60-minute chat with our panel experts. All stakeholders are welcome.

Start your answers with T1, T2, T3, T4, or CT for transcript purposes.
Answer only after the moderator prompts. Questions will be prompted every 10 minutes but keep answers coming using the relevant T and number. Both panel experts and the public are encouraged to answer.

Use the #theAMRnarrative hashtag in all your tweets so that you are visible to others in the chat and captured on the transcript.

Overview

One Health Day is an annual global observance that takes place on November 3rd. It serves as an international platform to raise awareness of and advocate for the One Health approach. One Health is a collaborative and comprehensive strategy that recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health.

In today’s interconnected world, the health of humans, animals, and the environment is inextricably linked. The One Health approach recognises this interconnectedness and highlights the necessity for collaborative efforts to address health challenges that transcend species and ecosystems. One of the most pressing global health issues that One Health addresses is antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Antimicrobial resistance refers to the ability of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites, to develop resistance to the medications used to treat them. This resistance makes infections more challenging, if not impossible, to treat, leading to prolonged illness, increased healthcare costs, and even death. AMR is a significant threat to public health, with the potential to undo many of the medical advancements made over the past century.

The One Health approach recognises that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are intimately connected. The misuse and overuse of antibiotics in human medicine, agriculture, and veterinary medicine contribute to the development and spread of AMR.

One Health principles call for interdisciplinary collaboration among medical professionals, veterinarians, environmental scientists, policymakers, and the public to combat AMR effectively.

Encouraging advocacy for One Health and AMR necessitates a multifaceted approach. To begin with, it is imperative to heighten awareness regarding the critical issues surrounding AMR and the interrelatedness of human, animal, and environmental health. This can be accomplished through various channels, including social media campaigns, educational initiatives, and community events, to ensure that the public fully comprehends the gravity of AMR.

Engaging healthcare professionals is essential, given their pivotal role in combating AMR in the human health sector. Encouraging responsible antibiotic prescribing practices, emphasising the importance of using antibiotics as directed, and promoting infection prevention measures within healthcare settings are all key aspects of this engagement. Additionally, advocating for better food safety practices and responsible use of antimicrobials in animals that end up on our plates is paramount. This entails supporting initiatives that ensure the health and welfare of farm animals while reducing the need for antibiotics in agriculture.

Furthermore, involving the agricultural sector is crucial to address the excessive use of antibiotics in livestock farming. Advocating for responsible antibiotic practices and sustainable farming methods that reduce antibiotic dependency can help mitigate the contribution of agriculture to AMR, thus ensuring that the food we consume is safer and less likely to contribute to resistance.

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QUESTIONS:
– Introductions first
T1: How would you describe One Health in relation to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?
T2: How or why do animal and environmental health, food safety, and production impact human health and patients?
T3: Why do public voices and advocacy matter to improving policies and practices from a One Health perspective in terms of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?
T4: How could civil society and the public contribute towards improving the use of antimicrobials from a One Health perspective?
T5: What do you think could be done better in each One Health sector to improve public understanding of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?
CT: Any thoughts you would like to add about fostering public advocacy for AMR and One Health?

————————————————————————————————————————————————

How to participate:

Join us for a 60-minute Twitter chat with our panel experts. All stakeholders are welcome.

Start your answers with T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 or CT for transcript purposes.
Answer only after the moderator prompts. Questions will be prompted every 10 minutes but keep answers coming using the relevant T and number. Both panel experts and the public are encouraged to answer.

Use the #theAMRnarrative hashtag in all your tweets so that you are visible to others in the chat and captured on the transcript.

More can be read about this event at the CIDRAP website here.

Notes: Prior to the event, review the University of Minnesota’s Social Media House Rules for a code of conduct applicable to this event.