World leaders agreed on the first global targets to control the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis at the second High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance of the United Nations General Assembly (26 September 2024). Countries committed to reducing the number of deaths globally associated with bacterial AMR by 10% by 2030 against the 2019 baseline of 4.95 million deaths.
AMR is the third leading cause of mortality in the world. Globally, over 1 million deaths are directly linked to bacterial AMR, and 5 million deaths indirectly. It is projected that AMR will cause 39 million deaths worldwide over the next 25 years, equivalent to over 3 deaths every minute.
“Today’s political declaration shows the global commitment to collective action to control AMR,” says Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “With this clear target and commitments made, we can accelerate progress and make sure less people die and suffer from its consequences. The political declaration gives us the opportunity to strengthen investment in AMR control and partnerships, as well as increase solidarity between countries and mutual accountability.”
The High-Level Meeting builds on the first one held in 2016, signalling a major global effort to address the looming threat that AMR poses to global health, food security and achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Key commitments
In the political declaration, heads of states and governments committed to:
- strengthening governance mechanisms for the response to AMR, using a One Health approach, addressing AMR in human, animal and plant health;
- increasing sustainable investments at national, regional and global levels for strengthening national capacities for the AMR response;
- ensuring equitable and timely access to antimicrobials, vaccines and diagnostics in developing countries, especially in low- and middle-income countries;
- enhancing and sustaining targeted efforts to promote awareness of antimicrobial resistance and the appropriate use and disposal of antimicrobials;
- strengthening national infection prevention and control programmes in health-care facilities;
- reducing the quantity of antimicrobials used globally in the agri-food system;
- strengthening prevention strategies, such as stewardship programmes and environmental management of air, water, plants, soil, food and vectors;
- promoting innovative financing mechanisms for multisectoral health research and development;
- strengthening national surveillance systems for AMR and antimicrobial use.
A coordinated response
“In the WHO European Region, AMR is directly responsible for 133 000 deaths each year and indirectly linked to 541 000 deaths. Estimates show that AMR costs the European Union and European Economic Area alone about €11.7 billion per year due to increased health expenditure and workforce productivity losses,” states Robb Butler, Director of the Division of Communicable Diseases, Environment and Health, WHO/Europe. “We now have the first global target. Clear and measurable targets can focus our efforts.
That’s why our Member States in the European Region gave us the mandate to develop and pilot the first AMR Accountability Index for the European Region, which we will launch next year.”
Ahead of the High-Level Meeting, Sweden, a long-time champion in the AMR response in the European Region, hosted a side event emphasizing the need for coordinated efforts to address AMR.
“With solidarity within and beyond the Region we will further leverage our efforts to ensure effective treatments, and prevention of infections, for all,” emphasized Acko Ankarberg Johansson, Swedish Minister of Health Care.
Following the High-Level Meeting, Member States will convene again at the 4th Ministerial Conference on AMR in November 2024 in Saudi Arabia to accelerate implementation of the global commitments under the theme “From declaration to implementation – accelerating actions through multisectoral partnerships for the containment of AMR”.
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