World leaders have committed to tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR), setting a goal of reducing deaths by 10 percent by 2030.
This 2030 target was set at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79) Political Declaration of the High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance, where countries agreed to address the growing threat of AMR.
The 15-page political declaration obtained by Newslodgewas adopted on Friday and signed by 193 member states to intensify actions to address the imminent threat that AMR poses to global health, food security and the achievement of the Development Goals. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites become resistant to medications used to treat infections, rendering these medications ineffective.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), AMR is the third leading cause of mortality in the world, with more than one million deaths directly related to bacterial AMR and five million deaths indirectly.
The WHO projected that antimicrobial resistance will cause 39 million deaths worldwide over the next 25 years, equivalent to more than three deaths every minute.
Key commitments for the 2030 goal
In the political declaration, member states committed to strengthening governance mechanisms for the response to AMR, using a One Health approach, which involves addressing AMR in human, animal and plant health.
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They committed to increasing sustainable investments at national, regional and global levels to strengthen national capacities for AMR response.
The document also stated that they will ensure equitable and timely access to antimicrobials, vaccines and diagnostics in developing countries, especially low- and middle-income countries.
They committed to strengthening national infection prevention and control programs in health care facilities and promoting innovative financing mechanisms for multisectoral health research and development.
Among other commitments, the declaration recognizes the leading role of the WHO, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Organization for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as quadripartite organizations, and the work of the permanent Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on AMR.
Reacting to this news on his LinkedIn account, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said: “The irony of antimicrobial resistance is that, fueled by the overuse of antibiotics, even more people are dying from lack of access to antibiotics.
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“The World Health Organization welcomes the goal set by countries to reduce annual global deaths associated with bacterial AMR by 10 percent by 2030.
“Together we can protect these powerful medicines and the people whose lives depend on them, now and in the future.”
Nigeria's efforts
Speaking on Monday at a side event on antimicrobial resistance at the United Nations General Assembly79, organized by Management Science for Health (MSH), NCDC Director General Jide Idris warned that antimicrobial resistance threatens the food system and national health security.
Idris said antimicrobial resistance is part of broader reforms in Nigeria's health sector.
He said: “Our four-point agenda reflects this commitment: we are investing in modernizing healthcare facilities to improve AMR surveillance and treatment capabilities, improve diagnosis, and integrate data systems to better track resistance patterns. .
“Improving laboratory capacity for surveillance is one of the cornerstones of an effective response to antimicrobial resistance because surveillance is critical to understanding the spread of antimicrobial resistance and informing evidence-based policy.”
He added that through the NCDC, Nigeria has made significant progress in improving diagnostic laboratory networks across the country to improve the ability to track and monitor AMR, and also improve early detection of outbreaks.