Strengthening the management of antibiotic use in the livestock sector in Viet Nam
Antibiotics are typically used in animal food and medicine for growth stimulation as well as disease prevention and cure. According to animal health and human health experts, the unregulated use of antibiotics may cause dangerous effects, contributing to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the appearance of diseases in humans that are difficult to treat.
With an effort towards better management of banned substances and antibiotics in livestock sector, in Octoboer 2015 Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has issued Official Letters (i) No.8365/BNN-TY on strengthening the management of veterinary medicine, livestock and aquaculture feed and bio-products, and (ii) No. 2139/TY- TYCĐ on enhancing the management of banned substances in livestock production. International organizations, such as FAO and WHO, have also actively supported Viet Nam in drawing up action plans for safer and more effective usage of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance substances in the livestock sector. One noteworthy activity is the workshop on “Management and usage of antibiotics in livestock production”, which was held in Danang on 30 October 2015. Organized by the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Viet Nam together with theDepartment of Animal Health (DAH) and the Department of Livetock Production (DLP) of MARD, this workshop has contributed greatly to information sharing and policy advocacy in the country.
Together with the key roles of MARD and MOH, relevant agencies are required to take their parts in solving problems related to misuse of antibiotics in livestock production in Viet Nam. In additional to the development of a roadmap on strengthened management and regulations in trading and usage of specific substances in key production facilities, attention needs to be given to research on risk assessment for human health, along with enhanced communications about the effects and threats of antimicrobial resistance on public health.
In the upcoming period, this subject is predicted to be a matter of interest for scientists, policy makers and the community, since it is directly related to the health of the entire society./.
