The National Strategic Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2017-2021 is Thailand's first national strategy that is specifically targeted towards addressing AMR issues. The strategic plan is designed to act as a framework that assigns different responsibilities to different institutions and sectors with the ultimate aim of achieving set national goals and targets. It is also aligned with the Global Action Plan, with the vision of reducing the morbidity, mortality and economic burden caused by AMR. Targets to be achieved by 2021 are: 50% reduction in morbidity attributable to antimicrobial resistance 20% reduction in mean consumption of antimicrobial drugs by humans 30% reduction in mean consumption of antimicrobial drugs by livestock and pets 20% increase in the proportion of the population shown to have a pre-defined basic level of knowledge and awareness of antimicrobial resistance Capacity of the national plan s implementation to have reached level 4 as measured by the World Health Organization s Joint External Evaluation tool for the 2005 International Health Regulations.
The National Strategic Plan consists of 6 strategies as follows: 1.Strengthen surveillance of resistance, using One Health approach; 2. Regulate antimicrobial distribution; 3. Prevent infection in humans while controlling and optimizing use of antimicrobial drugs; 4. Prevent infection in livestock and pets while controlling and optimizing use of antimicrobial drugs; 5. Increase public knowledge and awareness of antimicrobial resistance; 6. Strengthen governance mechanisms to develop and sustain AMR-related actions. Strategies 1-5 aim at resolving different aspects of AMR in an integrated manner. Strategy 6 aims at developing structures and mechanisms to implement the National Strategic Plan. Strategic objectives are: 1. The AMR surveillance system is capable of indicating problems as well as monitoring and reporting the AMR epidemiological situation in both humans and animals in order to provide timely alerts on AMR spread; 2. The systems of controlling and tracing distribution of human and veterinary antimicrobial medicines are integrated; 3.Healthcare facilities are equipped with efficient systems to prevent and control infection aiming at reducing infection rate and expenses caused by AMR pathogens, and to implement antimicrobial stewardship; 3. Integrated and harmonized systems of AMR management and reduction of antimicrobial use in agricultural and animal sectors are applied to both public and private sectors; 5.The public are knowledgeable of AMR and aware of appropriate antimicrobial use, including AMR environmental problems; 6. AMR implementation mechanisms at national level are able to sustain AMR-related actions. The Strategic Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2017-2021 further sets actions to achieve each Strategic Objective. For instance, actions to be implemented under Strategic Objective 4 include: Strategic action 4.1 Reduce use of antimicrobials in livestock farming and fisheries Strategic action; 4.2 Reduce antimicrobial resistant bacteria in the food production chain; Strategic action 4.3 Establish surveillance of antimicrobial use in crop production Strategic action; 4.4 Implement antimicrobial stewardship in animal hospitals and clinics; Strategic action; 4.5 Educate relevant stakeholders in food animals and agriculture regarding appropriate use of antimicrobials.