ECDC team visited Greece – Discussion on the fight against antimicrobial resistance

A five-day visit was made to our country from April 15 to 19 by a team of the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC), under the coordination of the EODY and in the context of the cooperation of the European Organization with the member states to deal with antimicrobial resistance ( AMR).

At the beginning of the visit, the five-member team of ECDC and the President of the Board of Directors of EODY, Prof. Christos Hatzichristodoulou, met with the political leadership of the Ministry of Health. The Minister of Health, Mr. Adonis Georgiadis, the Deputy Minister, Mrs. Irini Agapidakis, as well as the Deputy Minister, Mr. Marios Themistokleous, welcomed the ECDC scientists and unequivocally expressed their full support for both the national and joint efforts of its member states EU to combat this global public health problem, within the framework of the “One Health” approach.

Working meetings were then held between ECDC and EODY, during which the visitors had the opportunity to learn first-hand about national initiatives to tackle the critical problem of antimicrobial drug resistance. In particular, EODY pointed out that:

• a. cooperates with IDIKA (Electronic Governance of Social Security) in order to utilize the data of the electronic prescription for a more complete and accurate recording of the consumption of antibiotics throughout the country, with a recording of its qualitative and quantitative characteristics. This will allow us to move towards the achievement of national targets for reducing the use of antimicrobial substances at community and hospital level, in accordance with the relevant recommendations of the Council of the European Union.
• b. cooperates with IDIKA and EOPYY for the development of new and the evolution of existing algorithms, which aim to ensure the application by doctors of scientifically documented guidelines and protocols when prescribing antibiotics.
• c. plans to develop campaigns to inform and raise awareness among health professionals and the public about antimicrobial resistance and the correct use of antibiotics.
• d. updates the National Action Plan for Combating Antimicrobial Resistance, in collaboration with co-competent Ministries and agencies.
• e. prepares a special operational plan for dealing with hospital infections, financed by the Recovery & Resilience Facility (RRF).
• f. cooperates with the National Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA) for the design and implementation of a special program to deal with nosocomial infections and antimicrobial resistance in the Intensive Care Units (ICU), with an emphasis on the surveillance of patient colonization and on targeted actions per hospital.

The ECDC scientists also visited the Central Public Health Laboratory (KEDY), health service provision structures in Attica and the Region while participating in cooperation meetings and developed a fruitful dialogue with representatives of the Ministry of Rural Development & Food, the Ministry of Environment and scientific and professional bodies who are active in the health sector.

The visit of the ECDC team ended on Friday, April 19, at the EODY Central Service, with the provision of useful recommendations by the European Organization for the effective fight against antimicrobial resistance in our country.

RES-EMP