Cyprus supports international efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance, within the “One Health” scheme introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO), as agreed with the Muscat declaration, following the 3rd High-level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Muscat, Oman on 24 and 25 November.
Health Minister, Michalis Hadjipantela, who participated in the Conference and was accompanied by infectious disease specialist, Dr Linos Hadjihannas, said during his intervention that national and international systems should focus on monitoring the use of antibiotics, alongside with the development of new antibiotics and diagnostic methods.
According to an announcement by the Ministry of Health, Hadjipantela also stated that “without a drastic change in current medical practices for the reduction of infections and the containment of the use of antibiotics, alongside with investing in a change of attitude, microbial resistance will increase.”
Cyprus, he said, sees antimicrobial resistance as a major public health issue.
On the sidelines of the Conference, as announced by the Ministry of Health, Hadjipantela met with the Health Minister of the Sultanate of Oman, Hilal Al Sabti, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, QU Dongyu, and the Health Minister of The Netherlands, Ernst Kuiper.
Source: Cyprus News Agency