New digital program launched to track antibiotic use. Ottawa—The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) says global antimicrobial use in animals has declined by 13 per cent during the last three years showing progress in ongoing efforts to preserve the efficacy of modern medicines. In its latest annual report on the use of antimicrobials in animals, WOAH said that less than 20 per cent of those used in animals in 2019 were of highest priority and critical importance for human health. “Collective efforts towards responsible use across all sectors are of utmost importance considering that these medicines are the sole therapy or one of few alternatives to treat life-threatening human diseases,” WOAH said. “It is important to highlight that, in the same year, an estimated 4 million human deaths were linked to antimicrobial resistance.” WOAH has been reporting steady progress globally since 2015 in reducing the use of critical antimicrobials in treating animals. Earlier this year, the federal government said an Action Plan for addressing the challenge of growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to modern medicines will be developed in collaboration with the provinces, industry and the health care sector. The plan is needed to address AMR and to safeguard the effectiveness of antimicrobials, such as antibiotics, which are critical for treating and preventing serious infections and are essential for routine and life-saving medical procedures. AMR has been a growing concern globally for the last two decades and needs to be tackled through international action. The Action Plan will be developed through a One Health approach, which recognizes that the health of humans, animals and the environment are closely linked. In 2018, it was estimated that more than 5,400 Canadians die every year from infections caused by bacteria resistant to antibiotics at a cost of $1.4 billion to the healthcare system. “AMR is clearly an urgent and growing threat to global health, with wide-spread socio-economic impacts.” In the WOAH announcement, Carolee Carlson, a veterinarian and epidemiologist for the Public Health Agency of Canada, said the organization has recently fully digitalized its global database into an online platform called ANIMUSE. “This new system facilitates open access to global and regional data in an interactive way, while also featuring easier reporting, error checks, and data visualisation tools for Members providing the information.” “Countries at any level of their surveillance program can report on the platform. Even if a country's insight on amounts of antimicrobials used in animals is limited, being able to join the platform fosters discussion and improvement over time. In a world where the development of a new antibiotic demands over a decade of dedicated effort and an investment of $1 billion, it becomes everyone's responsibility to make sure that our current antibiotic arsenal remains effective for generations to come, WOAH said. “The global health community must continue to champion this cause to safeguard tomorrow's health.” Antibiotics had been losing their efficacy due to their misuse and overuse in different sectors, WOAH said. “AMR can originate in animal, human or plant populations, and then pose a threat to all the other species. In this context, monitoring how, when and which antimicrobials are used becomes critical to identify patterns and trends. Ultimately, this can facilitate decision-making and support the implementation of measures to ensure an optimal and sustainable use of these key medicines.”