Ireland’s second antimicrobial resistance (AMR) national action plan is currently in development.

The National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2021-2025 (iNAP2) is a collaborative effort between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), the National Patient Safety Office (NPSO) and the Department of Health.

Following on from iNAP1, which spans 2017-2020, iNAP2 has been informed by:

  • A number of external stakeholder engagements;
  • Learning from two public-health emergencies arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and the superbug, carbapenase-producing enterobacteriaceae (CPE);
  • Recommendations received as a result of the joint monitoring visit from the European Commission and European Centre for Disease Control;
  • Learning and experience from the implementation of iNAP1.

iNAP2 also adopts a One Health approach, according to the DAFM, and is in line with the Programme for Government 2020, which commits to the implementation of a One Health Strategy.

Both iNAPs follow the five strategic objectives outlined in the WHO Global Action Plan 2015:

  1. Improve awareness and knowledge of AMR – through information campaigns, education, intelligence and data;
  2. Enhance surveillance of antibiotic resistance and antibiotic use – through surveillance systems that facilitate greater standardisation of data collection, data linkage and sharing of real time information;
  3. Reduce the spread of infection and disease – through infection or disease prevention and control measures, including national guidelines and standards in relation to hygiene and biosecurity practices;
  4. Optimise the use of antibiotics in human and animal health – through development and implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes, promotion of prudent prescribing practices and access to rapid diagnostics;
  5. Promote research and sustainable investment in new medicines, diagnostic tools, vaccines and other interventions – through measuring evaluable costs of healthcare associated infections (HCAI)/AMR, identifying research opportunities and working with key stakeholders to develop alternative disease treatment tools.
ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE