ReAct Asia Pacific media briefing: 40 journalists in Jakarta interested in antibiotic resistance

2017-11-15

ReAct’s partner in Indonesia, the Concerned and Caring Parents Foundation (Yayasan Orangtua Peduli/YOP), joined forces with the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture and FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (FAO ECTAD) in holding a media briefing for the Indonesian key media. The media briefing was aimed at improving the journalists’ awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance, and encouraging them to promote the increasing threats of antimicrobial resistance to the public.

Around 40 journalists from Jakarta-based media attended the event, representing various types of media (print, online, and broadcast), as well as different focus of news: general, lifestyle, business/economy and agriculture.

The speakers from the Ministry of Agriculture, FAO ECTAD, ReAct Asia Pacific and YOP explained antimicrobial resistance from different perspectives. The event also provided opportunities for the media to discuss the issues and implications of antimicrobial resistance in both global and local context.

Sujith Chandy, Head of ReAct Asia Pacific says:

“We wanted to arrange a comprehensive briefing which provided insight to the media in Indonesia about the antimicrobial resistance issue in food, animals and environment. It also provided a fresh impetus for the government to act with sustainable interventions in those sectors.”

New law to restrict use of antibiotics as growth promoter

The Indonesian Minister of Agriculture presented the efforts done by local regulators to manage antimicrobial resistance and announced the implementation of the Law no 41/2014 that restricts the use of antibiotics as growth promoters since January 1, 2018.

• FAO ECTAD explained how the use of antibiotics in food sector could threaten the lives of human, animals and environment.
• Sujith Chandy, Head of ReAct Asia Pacific, presented the need for antibiotic stewardship in managing antimicrobial resistance.
• YOP founder and adviser, Purnamawati encouraged the media to inform and influence consumers to use antibiotics wisely to prevent us from entering the post-antibiotic era.