Abstract
Antimicrobial usage and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animal production is now recognized to be an important contributor to the global problem of AMR. Initiatives to curb indiscriminate antimicrobial use in animal production are currently being discussed in many low- and middle-income countries. Well-designed, scientifically sound interventions aimed to tackle excessive antimicrobial usage should provide scientists and policy makers with evidence of the highest quality to guide changes in policy and to formulate better targeted research initiatives. However, since large-scale interventions are costly, they require careful planning in order not to waste valuable resources. Here, we describe the components of the ViParc project (www.viparc.org), one of the first large-scale interventions of its kind to tackle excessive antimicrobial usage in Southeast Asian animal production systems. The project has been formulated as a “randomized before-and-after controlled study” targeting small-scale poultry farms in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. It aims to provide farmers with a locally-adapted veterinary support service to help them reduce their reliance on antimicrobials. ViParc has been developed in the backdrop of efforts by the Government of Vietnam to develop a National Action Plan to reduce Antimicrobials in Livestock and Aquaculture. Crucially, the project integrates socio-economic analyses that will provide insights into the drivers of antimicrobial usage, as well as an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of the proposed intervention. Information generated from ViParc should help the Government of Vietnam refine its policies to curb excessive antimicrobial usage in poultry production, while lessons from ViParc will help tackle excessive antimicrobial usage in other productions systems in Vietnam and in the broader Southeast Asian region.
Highlights
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in food animal production systems has recently become the focus of considerable scientific attention
Initiatives to curb antimicrobial usage and to monitor antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in food animal production systems have been ongoing for over a decade in many developed countries, and in some cases (i.e., Scandinavian countries) for even longer. In developing countries such initiatives are still embryonic. This is quickly changing, and momentum is building through the support of international organizations and donors such as FAO, OIE, European Union, Wellcome Trust, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Fleming Fund, etc., This interest is providing impetus and funding for researchers to develop and implement scientific approaches that help fill existing knowledge gaps on antimicrobial usage and AMR, to design interventions, and to assist policy-making at all levels
The ViParc project will scientifically test the hypothesis that the lack of unbiased poultry veterinary advisors contributes to the practice of farmers buying antimicrobials “over the counter” to avert the risk of disease on their farms
Summary
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in food animal production systems has recently become the focus of considerable scientific attention. The ViParc project will scientifically test the hypothesis that the lack of unbiased poultry veterinary advisors contributes to the practice of farmers buying antimicrobials “over the counter” to avert the risk of disease on their farms. With the help of international experts, the project is developing and Auditing Tool in order to score each farm on a number of key variables, and to measure potential take up of the advice given by the poultry vets. The ViParc project aims to understand to what extent the proposed intervention (advice, diagnostic support) is taken up by the farmer This will be measured as far as possible using several tools, since it is a crucial variable in terms of the formulation of a potential cost-effective package
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
