This document summarizes research on assessing antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic use in Vietnam's agricultural food system. It provides background on Vietnam's growing livestock production sector and the diseases and challenges associated with extensive antibiotic use on farms. The research has found high levels of antibiotic consumption in chicken and pig feed, as well as inappropriate dispensing and use of antibiotics. Studies are exploring drivers of antibiotic use and evaluating interventions to promote more prudent use and reduce resistance. Ongoing efforts include improving surveillance systems, drug quality, and engaging policymakers to optimize regulations from a One Health perspective.

1. Assessing antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic use in agricultural
food system: Experience from Vietnam
Hung Nguyen-Viet, Pham Duc Phuc, Dang Xuan Sinh, Do Van Hoan
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Vietnam
Hanoi University of Public Health, Vietnam
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam
Intensifying Food Systems and Health: Emphasis on Antimicrobial Use in Agricultural Systems
Jaipur, India, 4-6 April 2018

2. Outline
• Livestock situation in
Vietnam
• AMR and AMU research
• What the country does
to address AMR and
AMU

3. Livestock production in Vietnam (2010-2017)
DLP/ MARD (2018)
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Y2010 Y2012 Y2013 Y2014 Y2015 Y2016 Y2017
Unit: Million head
Pig Buffalo Cattle
Dairy Cattle Chicken Duck
Goat & lamb

4. Livestock production in Vietnam (2010-2017)
Annual growth 2010-2017: 5-6% per year
DLP/ MARD (2018)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
Y2010 Y2012 Y2013 Y2014 Y2015 Y2016 Y2017
Pork (1000 ton)
Poultry (1000 ton)
Buffalo & cattle (1000 ton)

5. Transformation of Livestock sector in Vietnam
Source: GSO, 2013
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
Crop Livestock Services
Share of livestock in total agricultural GDPLivestock production and consumption in
Vietnam from 2013 to 2019 forecast
Source: ipsos business consulting
Gradual transformation from small scale households to commercial/industrial farms

6. Diseases, antimicrobial use, challenges
• Diarrhea, pneumonia, fever, PRRS, head
edema and pasteurellosis (pig sector)
• Extensive use of antimicrobials and
other veterinary drugs, e.g. β-agonists
used as feed additive
• Little is known about the scale and
drivers of non-prudent antimicrobial
use and resistance, e.g. at farm level
• How do farmers perceive risks and
benefits of antimicrobial use and on
which information do they act?
• How can better information, regulation
and stakeholder interaction foster more
prudent antimicrobial use practices?

7. 6,357
3,147
Number of vet drug products in
Vietnam (03/2016 - DAH)
Domestic drug Import drug
85%
15%
Prevalence of GMP and non-
GMP certificated of vet. Drug
products in Vietnam
GMP certificated Non-certificated
Antimicrobial-use in livestock sector
in Vietnam

8. AMU consumption for chicken and pig
medicated feeds
• 77.4 mg and 286.6
mg of in-feed
antimicrobials were
used to raise 1 kg of
live chicken and pig,
respectively.
• 1023.5 tons, and 42.2
and 981.3 tons for
Vietnamese chicken
and pig production,
respectively. Nguyen Van Cuong et al. 2016. EcoHealth

9. • 90% AB sold without prescription
• Dispensed by inexperienced staff
• 25% of sales is AB sales
• More rural domestic drug sales
• High demand from buyer -> public awareness campaigns
• Strong incentive for AB dispensing -> room for intervention

11. 38.6
50.4
1.6
3.9
0
0.8
4.7
35.1
60.3
0
2.3
0
0
2.3
29.1
47.8
0.7
3
0.7
16.4
2.2
0 20 40 60
When animal had any abnormal
symptoms/ behavior
When animal was sick or
contracted a disease
To promote growth (without
any symptoms of…
When animals of neighbor get
sick
Advice from others
Don't know/don't answer
Others
%
Aquaculture producers (n= 134)
Pig producers (n= 131)
Poultry producers (n= 127)
When did farmers use
antibiotics?
88.8 87
81
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Poultry
producers (n=
89)
Pig producers
(n= 69)
Aquaculture
producers (n=
58)
%
Veterinary medicine stores
Drug sellers
Veterinarians
Other farms
Where did farmers buy
antibiotics for their animals?
EHSDI and FAO, 2018

12. 25.7
38
44.9
43.4
45.5
30.8
25.7
14
16.7
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Poultry producers (n= 113)
Pig producers (n= 121)
Aquaculture producers (n= 78)
%
Own experience Other farmers Friends
Relatives Veterinarians/ para-vet Drug marketing staff
Veterinary medicine sellers Other
Who advises farmers about antibiotic usage?
34
15
14
42
13
4
24
10
9
30
11
2
67
30
23
67
27
5
0 20 40 60 80
Clinical diognose
Labolatory test
Antibiograme
Description provided by famer
Availability of the drugs
Other
(n)
Veterianarians (n=85)
Feed sellers (n=49)
Drug sellers (n=48)
Basis for prescribing medication for animals by drug, feed sellers and vet ?
EHSDI and FAO, 2018

13. Rational use of AM, reduced AMR, safer food
Improve understanding of drug use and strengthen capacity in AMR
/AMU surveillance
Pig health and
health
management
practices
1 Antibiotic
resistance in
pigs and
antibiotic
residues in pork
products
Effective
interventions
for improving
pig health
management
3
Veterinary
drug use
among pig
farmers
2
4
VIDA-PIG 4 work packages
One Heath
Pig farms, feed mills, abattoirs, veterinarians, etc.
Hung Nguyen et al. 2018

14. An intervention controlled trial
Dong Thap
province
Feb 2020
• Farmer Training
• Farm Health
Plan (level 1)
• Diagnostic
support
• Farmer Training
• Farm Health
Plan (level 2)
• Diagnostic
support
• No intervention
Mar 2018
Oct 2016
ViParc, 2018

15. Engaging the food and agriculture sectors in
sub‐Saharan Africa and South and South‐East Asia
in the global efforts to combat antimicrobial
resistance using a One Health approach
(GCP/GLO/710/UK)
2018-2019

16. Research needed and ongoing efforts
• Understand AMR and AMU drivers
• AMR monitoring and surveillance
system: One Health effort
• Improved drug quality
• Intervention studies
• Policy optimization  Mr Hoan’s talk
from MARD

17. This presentation is licensed for use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence.
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