Mecca's prevention measures address antimicrobial resistance with a One Health approach
In a move aimed at enhancing health and environmental security in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Makkah branch of the National Center for Plant Pest and Animal Disease Prevention and Control (Wiqa’) organized a specialized workshop highlighting one of the most serious global health challenges: antimicrobial resistance. This initiative falls within the framework of the national strategy that adopts the “One Health” approach, a global concept that emphasizes the close interrelationship between human health, animal health, and environmental safety.
A silent danger threatens the world
This workshop is of paramount importance given the global and local context of this phenomenon; antimicrobial resistance is a “silent pandemic” threatening to undermine decades of medical progress. Historically, the discovery of antibiotics revolutionized modern medicine, but the overuse and indiscriminate application of these drugs in both human and veterinary medicine has led to the development of drug-resistant bacterial and viral strains. International reports indicate that continuing this trend could lead to a medical deficit in the fight against previously simple and easily treatable infections, driving up healthcare costs and threatening global food security.
Workshop activities and themes
Under the slogan "Working Now... To Protect Our Present and Secure Our Future," the workshop witnessed a high-level attendance, including Dr. Ghaleb Al-Saadi, Director General of the "Wiqa'a" branch in the Makkah region, and Eng. Waleed Al-Daghis, Director General of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture branch in the region. A select group of specialists from the public and private sectors reviewed the latest scientific protocols for reducing the indiscriminate use of antibiotics and explained the correct methods for handling them to ensure their continued therapeutic effectiveness for future generations.
Biosecurity and fortification as strategic alternatives
The scientific sessions of the event focused on establishing the concepts of "biosecurity" within animal facilities as a first line of defense. Emphasis was placed on the importance of preventative vaccination programs as a safe and effective alternative that significantly reduces the need for therapeutic drugs, thus lowering the chances of developing resistant microbes. Vaccination is a fundamental pillar in protecting livestock, which positively impacts the national economy by reducing losses in animal production and ensuring food safety.
shared social responsibility
Through this gathering, the center sought to raise public and professional awareness of the dangers of harmful practices, emphasizing that responsibility is shared and not limited to healthcare professionals or veterinarians alone, but extends to livestock breeders and the community as a whole. Experts stressed during the sessions that working within the "One Health" framework and multi-sectoral collaboration is the only way to control infections and ensure the continued effectiveness of antimicrobials against diseases that threaten both livestock and public health.
