Contributed by: Siddarth David & Dr. Tamhankar
Experts on antibiotic resistance
called on the United Nations General Assembly meeting in September this year to
decisively act to reduce the growing number of deaths due to limited access to
effective antibiotics. Writing in the Lancet, they say that even though many current antibiotics are losing their effectiveness, millions
of people do not have ready access to effective antibiotics. Ramanan
Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics &
Policy, and a lead author of the call to action pointed out that many deaths
are caused by insufficient access and delays in getting antibiotics while
resistance is being reported at all levels.
To develop an effective plan,
both these issues need to considered according to the article. Laxminarayan and his co-authors
are calling on the UN General Assembly to establish a UN High-Level
Coordinating Mechanism on Antimicrobial Resistance (HLCM) that will also
require the involvement of organizations such as UNICEF, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO,
and the World Bank. The effort would have four core responsibilities:
- Launch a global advocacy campaign to raise awareness about the lack of access to antibiotics and drug resistance
- Monitor and evaluate defined, enforceable targets to reduce the number of deaths globally due to lack of access and inappropriate use of antibiotics in humans as well as animals
- Mobilize resources from donors, aid agencies and countries to effectively finance the effort, and
- Support and coordinate multi-sectoral action to implement the World Health Organization's Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance alongside national efforts to improve access to effective antibiotics.
The authors state that the UN
must play a central role in the fight against a global health problem that
could undo much of the progress the world has made against disease and poverty
and this can lead to effective tackling of the problem like the HIV/AIDS
commitments in 1996.
This is only the third time in
its history that the UN General Assembly will use its High-Level Heads of State
meeting to deliberate on a health issue that threatens the health of
populations worldwide. This is also the first time that a One Health issue, a
concept which involves the health of humans, animals and the environment, is
being discussed at this high-level forum. Such strong global commitments can
lead to greater success in the battle against antibiotic resistance.
