One health: harmonizing infection prevention and control, and antimicrobial stewardship in combating antimicrobial resistance to improve patient safety

Abstract

One of the greatest successes in the fight against infectious diseases is the discovery of antimicrobials. This has remained a cornerstone in subsequent advancements in healthcare delivery. However, the emergence of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) dampened the celebrations. Currently, AMR is a major hindrance to patient safety because of the emergence, re-emergence and continued spread of multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens. The speed and extent of AMR spread is a major threat to human health globally. Several efforts and approaches have been tried at different levels to combat this global menace. However, the continued emergence of different MDR pathogens has escalated the seriousness of the threat, especially the rising burden of healthcare associated infections. Improving antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) has been advocated worldwide to preserve the available antimicrobials for use against the right pathogens. The interrelationship between AMR, AMS, and infection prevention and control (IPC) in the context of Patient Safety can best be understood by integration into the “One Health” concept. The One Health concept was introduced to break barriers and minimize compartmentalization of efforts without losing the benefit of specialization and expertise in addressing human challenges. We argue that One Health concept should be universally embraced and used in harmonizing all efforts at combating AMR through AMS and IPC to improve Patient Safety and healthcare quality across human, animal and environmental healthcare systems. This perspective is our effort to bring all the components under the One Health umbrella.