Antibiotic resistance is a huge health threat; this issue is even more important with last-resort antibiotics for human treatments such as Colistin. Thus, several studies targeted colistin resistance in Lebanese environments and found Colistin-resistant bacteria in poultry, water, and human samples. The hard work and follow up of the parliamentary committee for the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Plan, under the chairmanship of MP Dr. Inaya Ezzedine, in collaboration with AUB/FAFS culminated in the Minister of Agriculture issuing a law last April to ban Colistin import and use in the Lebanese agriculture sector (article link).
To discuss the extent of implementing the banning decision, the parliamentary committee for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Plan, held a session on November 2nd under the chairmanship of the committee's chairman, MP Dr. Ezzedine, and in the presence of members from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, the Supreme Council of Customs, the poultry syndicate, parliamentary members and researchers and professors from AUB/FAFS.
The meeting aimed to discuss all factors related to implementing the ban. Due to economic conditions, the Ministry of Agriculture was facing difficulties in collecting samples and exercising adequate control for compliance with the decision in Lebanese farms. Additionally, the major problem facing the poultry industry is importing frozen poultry, especially from countries that do not prohibit the use of Colistin. Thus, the meeting resulted in suggesting to the Ministry of Agriculture the inclusion of the examination of Colistin with other examinations conducted at the Lebanese border for animal products entering Lebanon at the expense of the importer. MP Dr. Ezzedine suggested that the Ministry of Health adds Colistin on the platform it has in place to monitor antibiotics that are prohibited for use in animal products. Finally, the need to control the borders and examine all imported materials for agricultural use by the customs was highlighted.
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