Events on antimicrobial resistance in Asia

18 October 2021 - 20 October 2021

Bangkok, Thailand

Provisional Agenda – Day 1 : 18 October 2021

(Kindly note that Bangkok’s time zone is UTC+7, which means 5 hours ahead of Brussels)

Time in Bangkok	Time in Brussels	Sessions
12:00 – 12:50 PM	7:00 – 7:50 AM	Participants Registration / Log-in
13:00 – 13:30 PM	8:00 – 8:30 AM	Opening and Welcome Remarks
13:30 – 15:00 PM	8:30 – 10:00 AM	SESSION 1: AMR: The Current Situation Overview and trends of global and regional AMR epidemiology in humans, animals, and agriculture, and measures on the tackling of AMR problems. Topics: Global overview on AMR situation (20 min) Trends of AMR and active measures in the EU (20 min) Trends of AMR and active measures - case study of The Netherlands (20 min) Panel discussion and Q&A (30 min)
15:00 – 15:25 PM	10:00 – 10:25 AM	“Coffee break”
15:25 – 15:55 PM	10:25 – 10:55 AM	KEYNOTE SESSION: COVID-19 and Challenges on AMR Opinion on whether the use of antibiotics will affect the AMR situation during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
15:55 – 17:25 PM	10:55 AM – 12:25 PM	SESSION 2: One-Health Impact on AMR Concept and experiences on one-health as a multidisciplinary approach to prevent spreading of AMR: Policy implementation and practical approach. Topics: One-health approach on AMR policies: Experience from Asia (20 min) One-health approach on AMR policies: The national experience (20 min) A practical approach of one-health to improve AMR situation (20 min) Panel discussion and Q&A (30 min)
17:25 – 17:45 PM	12:25 – 12:45 PM	Summary, Conclusions, and Closing Remarks
		End of the Day 1

Concept note of Day 1

SESSION 1: AMR: The Current Situation

Description of discussion points:

The first day’s concept is “The Situation.” According to the UN Ad hoc Interagency Coordinating Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, if no action is taken, drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050. By 2030, antimicrobial resistance could force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty. It is essential to learn the current situation and trends of AMR, globally and regionally. The session will discuss the UN’s prediction and its correlation with current data: what has been done or should be done to make the situation better and what could make the situation worse. Also, the priorities of drug-resistant bacteria will be discussed according to their impact on human and animal/agricultural health. Environmental factors may also be important on the rate of AMR, and its attribution will be discussed. In addition, active measures implemented in the region will be discussed as lessons learned from real-world experiences.

Objectives:

To update the current global and regional epidemiology of AMR, especially in the EU and Asia.
To discuss the AMR control and prevention measures from the EU’s and Asian’s experience in various settings; humans, animals, agriculture, and environment.

Participants – approx. 70:

Experts in AMR
Representatives of EU Member States
Specialised press & media
Specialised NGOs
Hospital executives and medical personnel
Infection control experts
Animal health authorities
Agriculture management authorities

SPECIAL SESSION: COVID-19 and Challenges on AMR

During 2020-2021 the world is hit by COVID-19. It is important to learn whether the pandemic affects the AMR situation, i.e., more critically ill patients, more antibiotic uses. The relation between pandemic and AMR is worth discussion.

Objective:

To discuss the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on antibiotic usage and AMR situation.

SESSION 2: One-Health Impact on AMR

Description of discussion points:

AMR's situation not only affects human health but also animal health, agriculture, and the environment. A measure to combat AMR in each group is unlikely to succeed without understanding the ecosystem of how AMR evolves and disseminates. Therefore, the one-health approach has been introduced for combating AMR. This session will discuss the AMR situation from various aspects from the perspective of one-health. The discussion will describe the international policies, e.g., EU and WHO, and the implementation in the Asia region. Also, experts from the session will discuss, according to the regional experiences, how one-health can promote understanding of AMR and draw cooperation from health and non-health sectors to combat AMR.

Objectives:

To discuss policies and experiences on the implementation of one-health concept to resolve AMR situation.
To discuss practical approaches to control AMR according to the one-health policy.

Participants – approx. 70:

Experts in AMR
Representatives of EU Member States
Specialised press & media
Specialised NGOs
Hospital executives and medical personnel
Infection control experts
Animal health authorities
Agriculture management authorities

Provisional Agenda – Day 2 : 19 October 2021

(Kindly note that Bangkok’s time zone is UTC+7, which means 5 hours ahead of Brussels)

Time Bangkok	Time Brussels	Sessions
12:00 – 12:50 PM	7:00 – 7:50 AM	Participants Registration / Log-in
13:00 – 13:30 PM	8:00 – 8:30 AM	Opening and Welcome remarks
13:30 – 15:00 PM	8:30 –10:00 AM	SESSION 3: AMR as an “Aftershock” in Hospital-Associated Infection Perspectives of AMR from hospital-associated infection: epidemiology, patient outcomes, and economic impact. Topics: Situation and trends of AMR in nosocomial infection (15 min) Evidence-based on AMR and antibiotic consumption (15 min) AMR and its impact on public health (15 min) Surveillance and human burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the EU/EEA (15 min) Panel discussion and Q&A (30 min)
15:00 – 15:25 PM	10:00 – 10:25 AM	“Coffee break”
15:25 – 17:25 PM	10:25 AM – 12:25 PM	SESSION 4: AMR as an “Invader” in Community-Associated Infection Recent data on the spreading of AMR in communities and the affect on human health, animal farming and environmental safety. Topics: AMR in the animal population and agriculture (20 min) AMR and animal health (20 min) Impacts on AMR from antibiotic uses in communities, farming and agriculture: Global Experiences (20 min) Impacts on AMR from antibiotic uses in communities, farming and agriculture: Asian Experiences (20 min) Panel discussion and Q&A (30 min)
17:25 – 17:45 PM	12:25 – 12:45 PM	Summary, Conclusions, and Closing Remarks
		End of the Day 2

Concept note of Day 2

SESSION 3: AMR as an “Aftershock” in Hospital-Associated Infection

Description of discussion points:

The second day’s concept is “The Problem.” Most AMR infections occur as a complication among hospitalised patients, especially those admitted to ICUs or in critical conditions. In addition, patients who have a long-term stay in the hospital may acquire AMR-related nosocomial infection. AMR infection may also associate with medical procedures, e.g., surgery and intravenous catheterisation. This session will discuss risk factors, incidences, morbidity, mortality, and other related to AMR acquired during hospitalisation. Panelists will discuss how AMR affects health and the economy. Also, the roles of antimicrobial stewardship and infection control measures will be discussed.

Objectives:

To discuss the impact of AMR in hospital-associated infections.
To discuss measures that should be implemented to prevent and control AMR-related infection in hospitalised patients.

Participants – approx. 70:

Experts in AMR
Representatives of EU Member States
Specialised press & media
Specialised NGOs
Hospital executives and medical personnel
Infection control experts

SESSION 4: AMR as an “Invader” in Community-Associated Infection

Description of discussion points:

Due to the rapid spread of AMR, an increasing number of AMR-related community-associated infections have been reported. Not only in humans, animals, including pets, and agriculture are also affected by AMR. Panelists will discuss the incidence and impact of AMR in the community from various aspects and how this has economic consequences. In addition, heavy use of antimicrobial agents in animal feeds and agriculture could also aggravate the AMR situation in the community. Several reports also mention the carriage of AMR organisms as a part of microbiota in humans and animals that could spread to the environment. This session will address the big picture of how AMR evolves in the community, and several societal sectors are needed to prevent its spreading.

Objectives:

To discuss the habitat of AMR in the community and how it affects human and animal health.
To discuss impacts on AMR according to usages of antibiotics in communities, farming, and agriculture based on experiences from EU and Asia.
To discuss increasing incidences of AMR-related community-associated infections and how collaboration from various sectors is needed to control spreading.

Participants – approx. 70:

Experts in AMR
Representatives of EU Member States
Specialised press & media
Specialised NGOs
Hospital executives and medical personnel
Infection control experts
Animal health authorities
Agriculture management authorities

Provisional Agenda – Day 3 : 20 October 2021

(Kindly note that Bangkok’s time zone is UTC+7, which means 5 hours ahead of Brussels)

Time Bangkok	Time Brussels	Sessions
12:00 – 12:50 PM	7:00 – 7:50 AM	Participants Registration / Log-in
13:00 – 13:30 PM	8:00 –8:30 AM	Opening and Welcome remarks
13:30 – 15:00 PM	8:30 – 10:00 AM	SESSION 5: Combating AMR: What are the solutions? Models on raising awareness, education, and other possible solutions on the AMR control and preventive measures. Topics: Global models for AMR awareness and education (20 min) Tackling AMR working in partnerships (20 min) National models for AMR awareness and education (20 min) Panel discussion and Q&A (30 min)
15:00 – 15:25 PM	10:00 10:25 AM	“Coffee break”
15:25 – 17:25 PM	10:25 AM – 12:25 PM	SESSION 6: AMR One-health National Action Plans Discussion on current and future on national action plans on AMR from selected countries in Asia with focuses on stewardship, education and one-health approach. Topics: Lessons learned from the national action plans in EU & Asia (40 min) Integration of one-health on national AMR strategies (20 min) Future perspectives on AMR: What all have to do? (20 min) Panel discussion and Q&A (40 min)
17:25 – 17:45 PM	12:25 – 12:45 PM	Summary, Conclusions, and Closing Remarks
		End of the Day 3

Concept note of Day 3

SESSION 5: Combating AMR: What are the solutions?

Description of discussion points:

The third day’s concept is “The Solution.” Panelists will discuss ideas on how to make the AMR situation better and what are needed for the solutions. AMR is a complicated situation involving bacterial evolution, antimicrobial stewardship, societal perception, and political influence. Regarding this problem, it cannot be done by only either aspect but needs many linkages as the collaborative task force. Awareness and education, for examples, on AMR in various sectors (e.g., physicians, veterinarians, farmers) are believed to be important links among stakeholders. This session will gather opinions from multiple sectors that could provide insight for solutions to the AMR problem.

Objectives:

To discuss what could be solutions to alleviate the AMR situation.
To discuss what are needed, as the missing links, to help control and prevent the spreading of AMR.

Participants – approx. 70:

Experts in AMR
Representatives of EU Member States
Specialised press & media
Specialised NGOs
Hospital executives and medical personnel
Infection control experts
Animal health authorities
Agriculture management authorities

SESSION 6: AMR One-health National Action Plans

Description of discussion points:

In the last session, panelists will discuss future perspectives of the AMR situation. Measures should be focused on prevention rather than treatment. Antimicrobial stewardship should be engaging for all relevant. One-health is one of the fundamental approaches to connect significant stakeholders related to antimicrobials and AMR. This session will demonstrate how one-health may have a critical role in decreasing trends of important AMR. Representatives from selected countries will discuss their national action plans on controlling and monitoring of AMR situation. Overall concepts for the integration of one-health approach on AMR will be summarised from the EU’s and Asian’s experiences.

Objectives:

To discuss future perspectives and measurements that could be used to combat the AMR, exemplified by national action plans of selected countries.
To discuss the role of antimicrobial stewardship and one-health as a policy and practical approach that could help improve AMR trends.

Participants – approx. 70: