ACT / Colombia and the Plurinational State of Bolivia strengthen antimicrobial resistance surveillance
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Colombia and the Plurinational State of Bolivia are stepping up efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), one of the world’s most pressing health threats, by strengthening laboratory surveillance in the food and agriculture sectors.
With support from the FAO-led Actions to support the implementation of Codex texts on AMR (ACT) project, both countries participated in an international External Quality Assessment (EQA) exercise in 2025. The programme was organized by Mexico’s National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA), whose Unit for the Integrated Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance serves as an FAO Reference Centre for AMR.
For the first time, SENASICA extended its EQA programme beyond Mexico, inviting laboratories from the Plurinational State of Bolivia and Colombia to join. The exercise focused on antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) for key foodborne and indicator bacteria, a critical component of AMR monitoring.
External Quality Assessment schemes, including proficiency testing, are designed to evaluate laboratory performance by providing identical samples to participating laboratories and comparing their results against reference values and those of their peers. This process helps ensure consistency, accuracy and alignment with international standards.
In Colombia, the ACT project supported the participation of the National Laboratory for Livestock Inputs of the Colombian Agricultural Institute (LANIP) in interlaboratory programs. In the Plurinational State of Bolivia, laboratories under the National Service for Agricultural Health and Food Safety (SENASAG) have participated in the same exercise, along with strengthening their testing capacity through training, quality management improvements and participation in national interlaboratory programmes.
These efforts mark an important step in translating international guidance on AMR surveillance into practice. By improving laboratory performance and data reliability, Colombia and the Plurinational State of Bolivia are enhancing their ability to monitor antimicrobial resistance and support evidence-based decision-making, while advancing a One Health approach across agrifood systems.
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