From Declaration to action: Antimicrobial resistance initiatives centre stage at Jeddah conference
November 14, 2024
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – Global health leaders and experts gathered in Jeddah this week for a high-level conference on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing threat to global health and economic security. The conference, hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), marked a significant step forward in the global fight against AMR.
AMR: A global threat
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites become resistant to the drugs used to treat them. This makes infections harder to treat and can lead to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs, and even death. AMR is estimated to cause 1.27 million deaths each year, a number that is expected to rise to 10 million by 2050 if no action is taken.
The Jeddah Declaration
In 2021, world leaders adopted the Jeddah Declaration on AMR, a landmark agreement that committed countries to taking action to address the threat of AMR. The declaration called for a global plan to tackle AMR, including measures to improve surveillance, promote infection prevention and control, and develop new diagnostic tools and treatments.
Progress since the Jeddah Declaration
Since the adoption of the Jeddah Declaration, there has been significant progress in the global fight against AMR. The WHO has established a global AMR surveillance system, which is now active in over 100 countries. The WHO has also developed a global action plan on AMR, which provides guidance to countries on how to implement effective AMR programs.
In addition, a number of new diagnostic tools and treatments for AMR have been developed. For example, a new rapid diagnostic test for AMR can now be used to identify patients with drug-resistant infections in less than an hour.
The Jeddah conference
The Jeddah conference brought together global health leaders and experts to review progress on the Jeddah Declaration and to discuss next steps in the fight against AMR. The conference featured a number of high-level speakers, including:
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO
- Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel, Minister of Health of Saudi Arabia
- John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
- Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist of the WHO
The conference also featured a number of breakout sessions on specific topics related to AMR, such as:
- Surveillance and data collection
- Infection prevention and control
- Development of new diagnostics and treatments
- Antibiotic stewardship
Next steps
The Jeddah conference concluded with a call for continued action to address the threat of AMR. The conference participants agreed on a number of next steps, including:
- Strengthening global surveillance of AMR
- Promoting infection prevention and control measures
- Investing in research and development of new diagnostics and treatments
- Ensuring access to affordable and effective antibiotics for all
Conclusion
The Jeddah conference was a significant step forward in the global fight against AMR. The conference brought together global health leaders and experts to review progress on the Jeddah Declaration and to discuss next steps. The conference ended with a call for continued action to address the threat of AMR.
From Declaration to action: Antimicrobial resistance initiatives centre stage at Jeddah conference
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