Guide for the development of national One Health roadmaps on antimicrobial resistance in the Western Balkans

To increase health security in the European Union (EU), ECDC provides national authorities in the Western Balkans1 with support to strengthen their infectious disease prevention and control systems and public health workforce. Since 2011, the Centre has undertaken several national technical assessments and convened regional meetings to prepare for the Western Balkans' participation in ECDC activities, most recently focusing on a One Health approach to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). As part of this work, ECDC undertakes One Health country visits on AMR [1] and offers support during the development of national One Health roadmaps on AMR. AMR is a key priority for ECDC, as it is an increasing public health problem that poses a serious threat to human and animal health, as well as to the environment. AMR also has substantial economic implications: it is estimated that in 2019 alone, over 38 710 deaths were attributable to bacterial infections with AMR in the EU and European Economic Area (EEA), with associated costs of nearly EUR 11.7 billion due to increased health expenditure and reduced work productivity.