The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) under the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced today (September 8) that, in response to the severe global threat posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to advance Taiwan’s national One Health policy, it is conducting the four-day "Joint One Health External Review on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)" from September 8 to 11, 2026. This review is conducted in accordance with the resolution from the Executive Yuan’s 3961st meeting, and introduces globally recognized assessment tools to comprehensively evaluate Taiwan’s core capacities across relevant government sectors. It also responds to the calls for action made at the 2024 United Nations High-Level Meeting on AMR to strengthen cross-sectoral governance efficiency in AMR management. The review demonstrates Taiwan's firm commitment, fulfillment of responsibilities, and concrete action in advancing global health security and AMR governance.

Taiwan CDC explained that, in response to the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2026–2036 adopted at the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) and initiatives led by the Quadripartite organizations, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), and the Ministry of Environment (MOENV) are jointly advancing Taiwan's National One Health Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (2025–2029) and National One Health Joint Plan of Action (2026–2030), with national funding and policy support. For this review, five international experts representing a range of disciplines have been invited to Taiwan to conduct on-site review: Professor Stephan Harbarth from Switzerland, Professor Motoyuki Sugai from Japan, Professor Julia Andrea Rogers from Italy, Associate Professor Michael D. Chao from the United States, and Associate Professor Ikuro Kasuga from Japan. Together with representatives from the MOHW, the MOA, the MOENV, and the Center for Antimicrobial Resistance at National Taiwan University Hospital, the experts will review Taiwan's AMR management measures. Drawing on their extensive practical experience, they will provide professional assessments and specific recommendations to help further align Taiwan’s AMR management policies with international technical standards.

Taiwan CDC noted that the review is conducted with reference to international standards, and covers a broad range of areas, including cross-sectoral collaboration, human health, animal health, food safety, agriculture, and the environment. It provides a comprehensive assessment across five key areas: "Awareness and Education," "Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance and Use," "Infection Prevention and Control," "Antimicrobial Stewardship and Appropriate Use," and "Sustainable Investment, Policy, and Governance." The review takes an integrated approach consisting of document reviews, assessment meetings, cross-ministerial discussions, and on-site visits to medical institutions and animal laboratories. This approach aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of policy planning, institutional operations, and frontline implementation, while objectively identifying Taiwan's existing strengths and gaps and providing forward-looking, practical advice. Through this review, Taiwan hopes to further strengthen its AMR management policies and align more closely with the global public health system. The MOHW, the MOA, and the MOENV will continue to work closely together to safeguard the health of people in Taiwan and contribute to global health security.