Filenews 26 May 2021
Commissioner Kyriakidou and the Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) are today sounding the alarm against a serious threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in a joint article in the Community press.
In particular, the Commissioner and the Director-General warn that 'if we do not take action, we risk seeing a silent pandemic grow - with far-reaching consequences'.
In the article they co-sign they state: "it is a fact that more and more infections are becoming resistant to antibiotics. This means that it is more difficult to treat infections and leads to more deaths."
"Together around the world, we must urgently strengthen our determination and technical capacity to deal with this crisis and take decisive and collective action to prevent antimicrobial resistance becoming the next pandemic."
"It is encouraging that 144 countries have now drawn up multi-section national action plans for AMR. However, implementation in countries requires increased technical assistance and financial resources."
As we have experienced over the past year, the impact a virus can have on our lives and our economies can be devastating. So far 3.4 million lives have been lost in COVID-19, but the death toll from AMR could be higher unless there is urgent action.
"We, the global community, simply cannot allow bacteria to become resistant to available medicines. We need to slow the development of resistance so that there are still effective and safe drugs that we can use to treat infections," they stress.
"Antibiotics support much of the progress made in healthcare in recent decades and if these drugs are no longer effective, routine surgeries and cancer treatments will become more dangerous and many of the benefits in treating common community infections will be lost."
"The human, economic and development consequences would be catastrophic," they warn.
"We therefore call for a spirit of global cooperation and a sense of real urgency to prevail in addressing the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. The time for action is now," they stress.
They note that "The European Union and the WHO are together with our international partners to meet this challenge. Action is needed at regional and national level."
"In line with the EU Health Action Plan against AMR, the EU has taken legislative action to ban the preventive use of antibiotics in animals, to reserve certain antimicrobials for human use only and to extend the EU ban on the use of antibiotics as growth factors in animals."
"COVID-19 has taught us hard lessons: the critical need to strengthen health systems in all countries, the need to strengthen emergency preparedness and the vital importance of global solidarity."
"The biggest threats we face - from climate change to increasing antimicrobial resistance - are common. They are also interconnected."
They make it clear that AMR is a common threat that requires a common response. "The European Union and the WHO, together with the other 'Tripartite Plus' partners, stand together with our international partners to meet this challenge."
"Significant steps have already been taken globally to raise awareness and increase political engagement, such as the establishment of the AMR Global Leaders Group, the Declaration of the World Health Summit or the 'Tripartite Plus' organisations' plan to launch a platform for cooperation on AMR action. Similarly, G7 and G20 members have repeatedly committed to working together to tackle AMR. We are pleased that AMR will be put to the next G7 summit with proposals that differentiate antibiotics from other medicines, including valuing and compensating them in specific ways. We welcome this first step. The EU and the 'Tripartite Plus' organisations will propose a debate focusing on AMR solutions at the United Nations Food Systems Summit in September 2021."
We have at our disposal to fight AMR at global level, but to achieve this our response must be organised, dedicated and translated into action in all countries. Now is the time to be ambitious and take concrete action," they conclude.
KYPE
