ReportCOVID cases surge amid growing threat from antimicrobial resistance – WHO chief
Aligning with World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, which kicked off on Wednesday, the WHO chief launched a new report – along with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health – that examines international rules governing antimicrobial practices, and identifies gaps in regulations governing their use on humans, animals, and plants. The report, based on data from 136 countries, reveals that while almost 90 percent of States have national action plans for antimicrobial resistance, only 20 percent have identified funding for their implementation.
“To help address that gap, together we have established a trust fund to support low and middle-income countries to develop a truly ‘One Health’ approach to addressing antimicrobial resistance”, Tedros asserted, thanking Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom for $13 million in funding – the first round of support for eleven countries, and to generate more global coherence in their use.
Against the backdrop that increased political commitment at the highest levels of government was “one of the most important ways” to achieve that goal, the WHO chief announced the One Health Global Leaders Group, which will bring together prominent leaders from government, the private sector and civil society organizations “to advocate for urgent action to combat the threat of antimicrobial resistance”. It also involves participants from agriculture, health, development, and other relevant areas “to maintain urgency, public support, political momentum and visibility of the antimicrobial resistance challenge”.
United Nations News, 20 November 2020
