Solving the Problem

Pillars - Advancing toward improved approaches

Key opportunities for progress identified in workshop presentations and discussion encompassed each of the four areas:

Stewardship

Stewardship is the ethic that embodies the responsibility of everyone involved in antimicrobial use to promote continual improvement of antimicrobial use and management, to conserve the effectiveness of existing treatments and to reduce the risks and impacts of antimicrobial resistance. Workshop discussion focused on the need to continually strengthen the understanding and promotion of appropriate/optimal use of antimicrobials in the context of promoting optimal One Health outcomes.

Surveillance

Surveillance deals with detecting and monitoring trends and threats in order to inform strategies to optimize antimicrobial use and management, including to reduce the risks and impacts of antimicrobial resistance. Workshop discussion focused on the need to establish and strengthen surveillance systems to identify new threats or changing patterns in antimicrobial resistance and use, in human, animal and environmental settings.

Infection Prevention and Control

Infection prevention and control are critical to AMR strategies, as it deals with promoting disease prevention efforts with the aim of minimizing or where possible eliminating the need for antimicrobials. Workshop discussion centered on the need to continually improve infection prevention and control efforts, through strengthened resources, improved infection prevention and control guidelines, education and awareness, regulations and oversight.

Research and Innovation

Research and innovation is essential to promote improved understanding of AMR issues, to inform improved management and outcomes as well as to create improved strategies and new solutions. Workshop discussion concentrated on the need to strengthen capacity and support for research and innovation efforts, including by promoting collaborative efforts provincially, nationally and internationally and also by collectively better identifying and addressing barriers to research and development generated and other sources of innovation.

One Health Alberta