Post by Henry-Michel Cauchie

As a contribution to the EU-WISH efforts to build capacities in EU Member States, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) organised yesterday the 2nd WES Day.   This year, the focus was on AMR.   Our speakers Amy Parrish (LNS - Laboratoire national de santé), Veronik Hutse (Sciensano), Koenraad Van Hoorde (Sciensano), Christophe Merlin (Universite de Lorraine), Xavier Bellanger (Universite de Lorraine), Cécile Walczak (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)) highlighted the many faces of the AMR surveillance in wastewater and environment. After their excellent presentations, they joined a round table together with Anne Vergison (Inspection sanitaire) and Tom Bechet (Administration de la gestion de l'eau). The main outcomes of this interactive session were the following:  • Tackling the issue at its source is key by promoting antibiotic stewardship • Monitoring methods must be standardized to ensure data comparability across Europe and to fine tune the surveillance systems • An adaptation of methodologies and goals should be done for low- and middle-income countries, where AMR challenges are even more pressing.   But above all the complexity of the AMR surveillance has been highlighted and it is clear that many efforts are still to come. EU-WISH will support these efforts through protocols, learning development and concrete capacity building activities.   The afternoon session of the 2nd WES day was specifically devoted to demonstrating the usefulness of serious games as capacity building tool. The thematic was Highly Pathogenic Influenza A. Participants grouped in 5 decision-making bodies interacted to take the right actions, from their point of view. Exchanges were intense for one hour and a half, and many interpersonal links have been established or strengthen; allowing efficient exchanges of views and knowledge between researchers, policy makers, public servants… Dialogue is a key enabler in implementing a One-Health approach.   If you have any idea of focus for next year WES day, please share it with us !   #AMR #seriousgaming #epidemicpreparedness