Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, become able to adapt and grow in the presence of medications that once impacted them. AMR in the Netherlands and across the European Union (EU) is an issue that must be taken very seriously as a major health threat. Indeed, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported that resistant bacteria infect almost two million people in the EU yearly, leading to 30,000 annual deaths.1 Meanwhile, AMR has been recognised as one of the top 10 threats to global health, AMR rates continue to increase.
The Netherlands AMR National Action Plan (NAP) was published in 2015 to cover the period 2015-2019 period and has not been updated since. As the Netherlands’ current NAP was developed eight years ago, a review and update is long overdue.
The reported increase of AMR incidence in the Netherlands and the sheer numbers of annual deaths in the EU should be a matter of concern for everyone, and public authorities should address the issue as a fundamental threat to public health and welfare. This policy brief reviews the content of the existing NAP on AMR in the Netherlands to identify gaps and provide recommendations for future adaptations.
Download the policy brief (PDF)
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control., World Health Organization. Antimicrobial resistance surveillance in Europe: 2022 : 2020 data. 136 p.