Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance

-Automatic translation

Action Plan of the Icelandic Government Against Antimicrobial Resistance

The Icelandic government has decided to further strengthen cross-disciplinary collaboration in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) domestically. In the fall of 2022, a working group was appointed with the task of developing actions to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The group presented proposals for an action plan at the beginning of 2024, and in August of the same year, Minister of Health Willum Þór Þórsson, Minister of Food and Agriculture Bjarkey Olsen Gunnarsdóttir, and Minister of the Environment Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson formally signed the action plan against antimicrobial resistance. The plan covers the period 2025–2029 and includes six actions along with cost assessments for their implementation, 24 objectives, and 75 prioritized projects.

EU-JAMRAI 2 - EU/EEA Collaborative Project on Actions Against the Spread of Antimicrobial Resistance

Iceland participates in the EU-JAMRAI 2 project, a joint initiative of European countries aimed at combating antimicrobial resistance and healthcare-associated infections (European Joint Action on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare-Associated Infections). This collaborative project builds on the success of the previous EU-JAMRAI 1 project, which operated from 2017 to 2021.

The goal of EU-JAMRAI 2 is to combat the spread of antimicrobial resistance through a holistic approach in the spirit of One Health. A total of 120 partners from 30 countries, including the 27 EU member states, Iceland, Norway, and Ukraine, participate. The aim is to make Europe a model for One Health actions against antimicrobial resistance. Participating countries are encouraged to strengthen their national action plans against antimicrobial resistance, and EU-JAMRAI 2 provides support for this.

The project includes a variety of actions, such as:

• Enhancing antimicrobial stewardship for humans, animals, and the environment.

• Strengthening infection prevention measures.

• Improving access to essential antibiotics.

• Increased surveillance of antimicrobial resistance with a One Health approach.

• Special emphasis on awareness-raising and education for the public and healthcare professionals about antimicrobial resistance.

European institutions, such as the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), as well as international organizations like WHO, WOAH, OECD, UNEP, and FAO, provide expertise and coordinate actions with other initiatives. Health professionals in both human and animal healthcare, as well as patient representatives, play a crucial role in the project.

The Chief Epidemiologist leads Iceland’s participation in EU-JAMRAI 2, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Food and Veterinary Authority, and the Environment Agency, in line with the One Health approach. Particular attention is given to aligning the project with Iceland’s national action plan on antimicrobial resistance to ensure the best possible outcomes domestically.