Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Strategic Framework

The World Health Organization (WHO) and WHO Regional Office for Western Pacific issued the ‘Global Action Plan on AMR’ and the ‘Action Agenda for AMR in Western Pacific Region’ respectively in 2015. Both documents emphasized the importance of adopting the “One Health” framework in formulating and implementing strategies to combat AMR.

The “One Health” concept stresses that the rising threat of AMR should be addressed by a comprehensive framework adopting a mutli-sectoral and whole-of-society approach. It calls for collaborative actions to be taken by different sectors, including human and veterinary medicine, agriculture, food, environment, pharmaceutical industry and consumers.

In view of the threat of AMR to global public health, the Government announced in the 2016 Policy Address to set up a High Level Steering Committee on AMR (HLSC) to formulate strategies and implement actions. Chaired by the Secretary for Health, HLSC comprises representatives from relevant Government departments, public and private hospitals, healthcare organisations, academia and relevant professional bodies. Under a “One Health” framework, the HLSC has considered the recommendations proposed by the Expert Committee on AMR and has taken human health, animal health and environment fronts into consideration in formulating the first Hong Kong Strategy and Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (Action Plan) for the period 2017-2022, which was launched in July 2017. 

Since the launch of the Action Plan, a series of actions against AMR have been implemented in accordance with the strategies laid out in the plan by different action parties and good progresses have been made.  As stipulated in the Chief Executive’s Policy Address 2021 and 2022, the Government have reviewed the implementation experience and draw up the second Action Plan to map out response strategies for the next phase, covering the years from 2023 to 2027.  The HLSC endorsed in its meeting to adopt the following six key areas as in the first Action Plan:

1. Strengthen knowledge through surveillance and research;
2. Optimise use of antimicrobials in humans and animals;
3. Reduce incidence of infection through effective sanitation, hygiene and preventive measures;
4. Improve awareness and understanding of AMR through effective communication, education and training;
5. Promote research on AMR; and
6. Strengthen partnerships and foster engagement of relevant stakeholders.

Under the “One Health” approach, this Action Plan highlighted clear objectives, priority interventions and target indicators to enable the Government and stakeholders to focus resources and address the threat of AMR more effectively.

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