Leveraging the Antimicrobial Resistance Declarations of 2024 to Reduce the Burden of Drug-Resistant Infections
By Afreenish Amir & Viviana Munoz Tellez
In 2024, two significant events highlighted the global concern about antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is a pressing global health issue, imperiling public health, economic stability, and societal well-being. The 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in its special session on AMR and the 4th Ministerial Meeting on AMR have emphasized the need for collective action and international cooperation to mitigate the impact of AMR. The UNGA Declaration has set some targets including reducing global deaths associated with bacterial AMR by 10% by 2030 and enhancing the antimicrobial usage from the World Health Organization (WHO) AWaRe (Access, Watch, Reserve) Access category to 70% by 2030. Accomplishing these targets requires enhancing the inter-ministerial and inter-sectoral collaboration within countries, and the development of strategies reflected in national action plans (NAPs) tailored to each country’s unique dynamics. There are several important commitments made that now need to be implemented, including increased support to countries to develop funded NAPs, the establishment of an Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against AMR, capacity building for local manufacturing of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and essential supplies, developing a new Global Action Plan on AMR by 2026 with a focus on a people centered approach, and advancing cross-sectoral behavioral change interventions. However, these fell short of ambition, particularly in key areas such as financing, reduction of misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in human and animal health and the environment as a vector for AMR. This Policy Brief reviews the new commitments on AMR made in 2024 under the light of current challenges in developing countries and advances recommendations to accelerate progress on AMR.
Lessons from COVID-19: Strengthening Antimicrobial Stewardship Prior and During Pandemics
By Dr Rasha Abdelsalam Elshenawy
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a complex impact on the silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). While increased antibiotic misuse and disrupted antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs exacerbated AMR in some settings, heightened awareness and improved infection prevention measures implemented to control COVID-19 provided valuable lessons on sustaining these practices in the fight against AMR. This brief highlights lessons learned from the pandemic, such as the importance of access to antimicrobials and the urgent need for resilient and sustainable AMS integrated into pandemic preparedness, strengthening infection prevention and surveillance systems, enhancing access and use of diagnostics, and promoting a One Health approach. By leveraging these lessons, policymakers can build more resilient health systems, maintain the effectiveness of antimicrobials and be better prepared for future pandemics, particularly in developing countries. Immediate action is essential to protect public health and combat AMR effectively.
Antimicrobial Resistance, pharmaceuticals and environment
South Centre Virtual Workshop, 28 & 29 March 2023, 2:30-4:30 PM CET
The emergence and spread of resistant genes and pathogens among and between humans, animals and the environment is a global threat. Join to learn and share how civil society is tackling these issues and how to elicit ways such efforts might seed or scale more broadly such action.
This workshop is organized with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Commission.
Latin American and Caribbean Meeting: Communities Empowered to Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance
Organizers: Pan American Health Organization, ReAct Latin America, the Global Health Consortium of the Florida International University, South Centre
This dialogue involving civil society, non-governmental organizations, academics, international organizations, and governments seeks to capture, share, and learn from the experience of different communities in infection prevention and control and the appropriate use of antimicrobials and draw relevant lessons on how to better engage communities and enable their active participation in addressing AMR.
South Centre Comments on the Draft Annotated Outline of a WHO Convention, Agreement or Other International Instrument on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response
24 June 2022
The South Centre welcomes the opportunity to provide comments on the draft annotated outline of a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. Comments are provided with respect to the process and the content.
STATEMENT BY CARLOS M. CORREA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SOUTH CENTRE, TO THE MEETING OF THE NAM HEALTH MINISTERSON THE OCCASION OF THE 75TH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY, MAY 20, 2022
The South Centre has closely followed issues concerning access to medicines and the work of the WHO over the years. In the last couple of years, it has provided analyses and advice in connection with the COVID-19 crisis that has so severely affected the members of NAM.
Advancing Global Response to Antimicrobial Resistance: Examining Current Global Initiatives
By Mirza Alas
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a severe ongoing crisis threatening our health systems. Since adopting the WHO Global Action Plan on AMR in 2015, there has been progress, particularly in improving awareness, surveillance and implementation of infection, prevention, and control measures. However, there has been a slower response related to optimizing the use of antimicrobials in the animal sector and actions related to the environment. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has also undermined the implementation of activities to address AMR, including shifting resources to other areas and deprioritizing responses to AMR due to the ongoing pandemic. While national-level actions are at the core of the AMR response, given its global nature and impact, there is broad recognition of the need to ensure that national efforts are complemented with measures at the global level. Examining global initiatives to address AMR and how they can be strengthened to accelerate action is critical to better understand the importance of global coordination and increasing investment to close the gaps that remain.
SOUTH CENTRE STATEMENT FOR THE 74TH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY: Agenda Item 13.5. Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance is a silent pandemic. Today WHA74 will discuss current progress but we need to learn from COVID-19. We need to build robust health systems and fix the broken system of innovation to deliver antimicrobials as global common goods. See our statement.
How Civil Society Action can Contribute to Combating Antimicrobial Resistance
By Mirza Alas Portillo
One of the key groups of actors that must be recognized for their influential role in shaping health policy outcomes are civil society organizations (CSOs). The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) space is no exception. AMR is one of the most significant health threats of our time, and many CSOs have had a critical role in shaping the national, regional and global responses to this health threat. However, CSOs working in the AMR space have received little financial support. In the final report submitted to the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group (IACG) on AMR recommended increasing collaboration, as doing so is necessary for effective action and is an essential part of tackling AMR. IACG also provided specific recommendations for strengthening the engagement of CSOs. While the need for this engagement is broadly recognized, there is limited literature documenting how CSOs have been involved in shaping AMR policies. Increased evidence can strengthen the case for expanding financial support to CSOs work on AMR. A critical look into how CSOs are spearheading campaigns to tackle AMR and promoting accountability through monitoring governments’, international organizations’ and other actors’ AMR-related commitments, particularly in developing countries, would be especially useful.
This paper aims to contribute to the analysis of CSOs involvement in the global AMR response. It begins by defining what constitutes a CSO and offers examples of how CSOs have contributed to addressing other critical health issues to draw lessons for handling AMR. It then undertakes a case analysis of a prominent CSO coalition, the Antibiotic Resistance Coalition (ARC), and describes that organization’s essential contributions in the AMR space. Finally, the paper offers reflections on why CSO participation in the AMR space needs to be further enhanced and supported.
What is the status of Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plans in the African Region?
The South Centre and ReAct (Action on Antibiotic Resistance) Africa will hold avirtual conference on ‘‘What is the status of Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plans in the African Region?’, to be held from 1st to 4th of December 2020.
