Previously we discussed issues that drive AMR rates and saw that they are rooted in different sectors and disciplines: from lack of diagnostic tools in human infections, to routine use of antibiotics in livestock and an overall lack of awareness of the consequences of inappropriate antibiotics use.
Animal health, human health and environmental health are intertwined on a very fundamental level, and decisions that are made in one sector also have consequences for the other. Communication, coordination and collaboration between these sectors is therefore of utmost importance.
One Health is the multi-sectoral approach to designing and implementing programs, policies, legislation and research for sectors to communicate and work together for better public health outcomes.
For this communication, the ability to efficiently share data and lab information is crucial. Digitalisation of results and a globally distributed interface can be of great help here (the European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) database is a great example).
Applying such a platform-based approach to diagnostics could also enable the monitoring of infection rates or mutation rates of pathogens and enable fast intervention or easy knowledge sharing whenever needed.
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