New research published last week from The Lancet shows just how deadly inaction on antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, could be: an estimated 40 million deaths attributable to AMR and 160 million associated with AMR between 2025 and 2050. And the impacts of AMR on healthcare systems, productivity and agricultural production will cost trillions annually. We are in deeper trouble than we thought.
The international community is already acting on this deadly threat. We have seen increased ambition through the Global Leaders Group. Crucially, work on AMR now combines human, animal, plant and environment sector actions under the One Health approach, backed by the Quadripartite partnership – a partnership comprised of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – on One Health.
Now we need leaders to speed up the effective prevention and management of AMR at national, regional and global levels. As the environment plays a significant role in the origins, development, spread and transmission of AMR, we must stop antimicrobials and AMR leaking into nature from municipal waste and wastewater, pharmaceutical production and hospitals, and farms and intensive crop production.
We must strengthen integrated water management, water sanitation and hygiene. Push the pharmaceutical sector to change incentives and subsidies and ensure adequate waste and wastewater containment and treatment. Reform the food and agriculture sector to limit the use of antimicrobials and reduce discharges from crops, and terrestrial and aquatic animal production facilities. Back the healthcare sector to improve access to high-quality water sources and sanitation, install wastewater treatment systems, and ensure the safe and sustainable use and disposal of antimicrobial medicines.
These actions, and more, must be backed at the highest level with policies, laws, international standards and a realignment of subsidies and investments. Strengthening the One Health approach is particularly important to increase collaboration between sectors.
Today’s declaration, at only the second High-Level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly dedicated to AMR, reaffirms the commitment of the world to tackling AMR. The 4th Ministerial Conference on AMR, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in November, will be another chance to increase commitment. We must build on this commitment to save millions of lives, safeguard animal health, protect the environment and boost food safety and security.
