UN global declaration targets antimicrobial resistance crisis
Key commitments include a 10% reduction in the estimated 4.95 million human deaths associated with bacterial AMR by 2030.
Signed by 193 member countries, the declaration outlines a comprehensive, multisectoral approach to address AMR, recognizing it as a complex issue that affects human health, agriculture, animal health, and the environment.
This unified effort is critical, according to the policymakers, as AMR is projected to cause an 11% decline in livestock production in low-income countries by 2050, threatening global food security and economic stability.
On human health, the declaration aims for at least 70% of antibiotics used worldwide to come from the WHO Access group, known for lower risks of side effects and AMR development.
Agriculture and animal health
In agriculture and animal health, the declaration sets a goal to significantly reduce antimicrobial use in agri-food systems by 2030. It prioritizes infection prevention through vaccination, good husbandry, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) measures, in line with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and FAO's RENOFARM initiative.
“Urgent action is needed, and we welcome the numerous commitments made by countries through this political declaration. The prioritization of preventative measures against infectious diseases in animals is of paramount importance. That is why WOAH will continue to assist countries by developing standards and guidelines, assessing policy frameworks for antimicrobial prescription, and supporting the implementation of biosecurity and vaccination programs on priority diseases that can help reduce the need for antimicrobials, among other measures,” commented WOAH director general, Dr Emmanuelle Soubeyran.
Farm-level support
The focus areas of the FAO RENOFARM project revolve around providing direct farm-level support, guided by the ‘Farm 5Gs’:
- Good Health Services: Ensuring access to quality health services, including guidance on the prudent use of antimicrobials.
- Good Production Practices: Promoting best practices in production and husbandry across farm value chains, with emphasis on optimal biosecurity, hygiene, responsible AMU, and efficient farm waste management.
- Good Alternatives: Encouraging alternative approaches such as vaccines, biosecurity measures, alternative feeds and feed additives, integrated pest management (IPM), and biological control methods.
- Good Incentives: Supporting economic and productivity gains at the farm level through regulatory frameworks, quality control, and strengthening functional supply chains.
- Good Connection: Enhancing farmers’ access to essential resources and support to reduce their reliance on antimicrobials.
Antimicrobial discharge
Environmental protection is another focus, with calls for stronger prevention of antimicrobial discharge into ecosystems and increased research on AMR's environmental impacts.
The declaration also targets universal access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services in all healthcare facilities by 2030, alongside enhanced infection prevention and control (IPC) programs in at least 90% of countries. It seeks to strengthen national financing mechanisms, backed by US$100m in catalytic funding, to ensure at least 60% of countries implement funded AMR action plans by 2030.
EU response
The EU Commission described the declaration as "a strong signal of the global consensus on the necessity to address this serious global health threat, which was directly responsible for almost 1.2 million deaths worldwide in 2021 and contributed to another 4.7 million deaths the same year."
And, based on estimates, the EU executive warned there could be over 8.2 million deaths linked to resistant bacteria globally in 2050, if urgent action is not taken.
The Commission noted that, at EU level, AMR is one of the highest public health priorities, reflected in the action taken to tackle it at all levels of the ecosystem.
"Among the key EU measures to address AMR are targets to reduce antibiotic consumption in humans, rules to limit antibiotics in livestock, R&D investment to support the development of novel antibiotics, and strengthened environmental monitoring to prevent antibiotic residues from contaminating soil and water."
