Promoting Intersectoral Collaboration to Reduce Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Vietnam

Since 2013, Vietnam has developed a series of National Action Plans to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). However, Vietnam still has one of the highest rates of AMR in Asia. Issues, such as the regulation in relation to supply of antibiotics for medical and veterinary use and the development of improved surveillance systems for antimicrobial use and AMR, require enhanced cooperation between all sectors and authorities in Vietnam. As part of the UK Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) One Health Poultry Hub initiative, a review of key policies related to antimicrobials and AMR was conducted. Key informant interviews with relevant ministerial officials were conducted to identify priorities pertaining to antimicrobials, and to examine the extent of collaborative efforts related to antimicrobial stewardship and mitigation of AMR. Subsequently, two workshops were organised, bringing together experts from health, agriculture, environment, and private sectors to explore ways to improve cross-sector coordination, align policies more effectively, and establish indicators of success for reducing AMR. Our study revealed that regulations related to the antimicrobials in human and veterinary health sectors are generally very detailed and follow the international standards. However, our findings emphasise the need for better information synchronisation across platforms, and we noted a significant lack of detailed regulations relating to the management of antimicrobials in waste systems. For the future, fostering collaboration with experts in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on AMR in wastewater will be a crucial step in the development of a fully integrated legal framework for combating AMR within Vietnam.