Researchers plan to use the September UN General Assembly meeting as an opportunity to launch coordinated action that would increase antibiotic stewardship worldwide, while also putting the drugs in the hands of those who need them.
“Since antibiotics are used widely in livestock, humans and in the environment, the problem of antibiotic resistance can be tackled only by involving all of these sectors,” Ramanan Laxminarayan, PhD, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy, and a lead author of the call to action, said in a statement. “The United Nations is the appropriate forum for countries to set goals and commit themselves to global collective action to ensure that our children and grandchildren are able enjoy the benefits of effective antibiotics.”
In a commentary published in The Lancet, Dr. Laxminarayan and his colleagues call on the UN to establish a High-Level Coordinating Mechanism on Antimicrobial Resistance to take responsibility for four specific issues. These include launching a global campaign to raise awareness about lack of access to antibiotics and resistance; defining, monitoring and evaluating enforceable targets to reduce both inappropriate use of antibiotics and deaths due to lack of access; calling on donors and aid agencies to finance the efforts; and coordinating multisectorial action to implement the World Health Organization’s plan to combat resistance.
Dr. Laxminarayan estimates antibiotic resistance is responsible for more than half a million deaths worldwide annually, and lack of access or delays in getting antibiotics are also major contributors to mortality in vulnerable populations.
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