As the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) intensifies, the Global Leaders Group (GLG) on AMR has called for urgent and specific action from UN Member States.
The call comes with the backing of a new economic study revealing the potential for catastrophic human and economic losses due to AMR, which already claims 1.27 million lives annually, a fifth of them children under five, predominantly in low- and middle-income countries.
According to the study, uncontrolled AMR could reduce global life expectancy by an average of 1.8 years by 2035, with financial repercussions including an annual increase of US$ 412 billion in healthcare costs and a loss of US$ 443 billion in workforce productivity.
Chair of the GLG on AMR and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley, emphasizes that while effective tools against AMR exist, they require substantial scaling up. The study estimates that a global package of AMR interventions would cost an average of US$ 46 billion annually but promises a return of up to US$13 for every US$1 spent by 2050.
The GLG’s new report outlines specific commitments and actions needed to combat AMR. It stresses the importance of sustainable financing, multisectoral governance, and robust surveillance and monitoring systems.
The report also calls for a reduction in antimicrobial use in the agri-food system and the elimination of medically important antimicrobials for non-medical uses in animals and crop production.
With a High-level Meeting on AMR scheduled for September 26 at the United Nations General Assembly, the GLG’s report aims to catalyze a decisive global response to AMR that will safeguard future generations.
The urgency of these recommendations highlights the need for world leaders to commit to multisectoral and evidence-based action against this escalating threat.
