Key points
- During the December 2024 AMR Exchange webinar, panelists discussed actionable commitments and targets from the second United Nations (UN) High-level Meeting (HLM) on Antimicrobial Resistance. They also discussed using the political declaration as a model to combat antimicrobial resistance at national, regional, and global levels.
- Governmental and non-governmental partners can achieve the specific commitments and targets outlined in the HLM political declaration by collaborating with stakeholders across One Health sectors, filling data gaps and using that data for action, and identifying cost-effective interventions and sustainable funding for efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.
- The panelists discussed what is possible with collective effort toward shared goals and targets. CDC and its partners are actively working to translate the HLM commitments into concrete public health action.
CDC and Partners Discuss Public Health Actions
In the ninth installment of CDC's AMR Exchange webinar series, experts discussed actionable commitments and targets from the 2024 United Nations (UN) High-level Meeting (HLM) on Antimicrobial Resistance political declaration. Conversations highlighted how governmental and non-governmental entities can turn political commitments into public health action while strengthening One Health collaboration to address antimicrobial resistance.
Stefanie McBride, Associate Director for Policy and Partnerships for the Antimicrobial Resistance Coordination and Strategy Unit at the U.S. CDC, served as moderator for the webinar. She opened the call by acknowledging the great strides that have been made to combat antimicrobial resistance globally and highlighting where additional work is needed. Stefanie provided an overview of the commitments and targets outlined in the political declaration and shared that the webinar would shed light on four components of action including targets, collaboration, data, and financing. Each subsequent panelist focused on one of the four components, ultimately highlighting how achieving these goals requires commitment and action from leaders across sectors, as demonstrated at the HLM.
Rob Purdie, Founder of MyCARE, shared his personal experience with Valley Fever. Doctors diagnosed Rob with this severe fungal infection in 2012 and he remains in treatment 13 years later. In addition to physical symptoms, he highlighted indirect costs of his diagnosis, including missing months of work, smaller friend groups, and suffering from depression and social isolation. He also highlighted the issue of inappropriate use of antibiotics and antifungals, which can burden patients with side effects and significant costs, while also increasing the burden of antimicrobial resistance. His experience led him to become an advocate for other patients with fungal diseases in 2014, eventually launching his fungal disease advocacy organization, MyCARE, in 2023. Rob emphasized that the public lacks awareness of antimicrobial resistance and highlighted the importance of using plain language to effectively communicate with the public and policymakers.
Michael Craig, Director of the Antimicrobial Resistance Coordination and Strategy Unit at the U.S. CDC, discussed the commitments made during the HLM and the adoption of the political declaration by member states. Michael emphasized how the political declaration can be used as a pathway to make progress on the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, highlighting one of the critical global targets that focuses on reducing antimicrobial resistance-related deaths by 10 per cent by 2030-the first overarching global mortality target for antimicrobial resistance. The declaration also prioritizes prevention measures and access to appropriate diagnostics and treatments. These targets not only help combat antimicrobial resistance but also support broader global health goals. Michael noted that CDC focuses on preventing infections and slowing the spread of antimicrobial resistance, working with health departments and healthcare providers to improve outbreak detection and patient care and engaging diverse healthcare stakeholders to address antimicrobial resistance.
Hebah Mahmoud Dada, Director of Antimicrobial Resistance at the Public Health Authority of Saudi Arabia, discussed outcomes that emerged from the November 2024 4th High-level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance in Jeddah. She focused on practical steps to contain antimicrobial resistance through a One Health approach. The High-level Ministerial Conference convened global stakeholders to discuss next steps following the HLM and the commitments in the political declaration. Key themes included surveillance and stewardship, capacity development, access and affordability of care, and improved local, regional, and global governance of antimicrobial resistance. One significant outcome of the conference was the Jeddah Commitments, which outlines 16 commitments to address antimicrobial resistance, such as establishing a regional One Health Learning Hub for sharing best practices and enhancing antimicrobial resistance national action plans.
Hania Farhan, Senior Director of Research and Methodology at Gallup, discussed the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Monitor (The Monitor), a data-driven global survey designed to catalyze action on antimicrobial resistance. This tool will measure and track public awareness, knowledge, and attitudes related to antimicrobial resistance. The Monitor aims to gather rigorous and reliable, nationally representative global data to address antimicrobial resistance in over 100 countries. The Monitor's first phase gathered qualitative data in India, South Africa, and the United States on the public's awareness of antimicrobial resistance and found different levels of knowledge and concern about this global health threat. The second phase of the Monitor plans to further examine how to use data for action to help understand public knowledge and awareness of antimicrobial resistance and improve policies, programs, and partnerships. Hania also emphasized the need to track national policy efforts and the implementation of action plans through international surveys.
David Lowrance, Senior Advisor and Team Lead for Pandemic Preparedness and Response at the Global Fund, discussed the need for sustainable financing to combating the global health threat of antimicrobial resistance, a theme that emerged at both the HLM and the 4th High-level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance in Jeddah. David described the Global Fund's model for achieving durable and predictable financing to address the greatest global health challenges in low- and middle-income countries. Proposals to the Global Fund align with national strategic plans for HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria responses, health systems, and pandemic preparedness including national action plans for preventing the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, as appropriate. Donors invest in the Global Fund to support approximately 120 eligible countries in strengthening and health services and health systems based on the most important country priorities. Within its programmatic scope, the Global Fund supports cross-cutting surveillance, laboratory, and workforce capacity development for antimicrobial resistance related to the broader disease threats that it focuses on. David suggested that global communities must continue to advocate for sustainable financing to fight antimicrobial resistance through leveraging of all existing domestic, bilateral and multilateral platforms and health initiatives.
The 2024 UNGA HLM on Antimicrobial Resistance demonstrated what is possible with collective effort to establish shared goals and targets. The HLM was part of an ongoing conversation that is crucial for addressing the health security threat of antimicrobial resistance. During this AMR Exchange, the panelists underscored the significance of leveraging the political declaration to increase public awareness and knowledge and bolster existing networks to broaden capabilities to detect and respond to emerging antimicrobial resistance threats.
Watch the recording of this AMR Exchange webinar to hear the discussion about how CDC and its partners can work to accelerate progress towards the commitments and targets established in the HLM political declaration to combat antimicrobial resistance.