AMR Global meeting
What can the Netherlands prioritize and contribute to implementing the commitments made in the United Nations Political Declaration on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), with a view on the upcoming Global High Level Ministerial meeting in Saudi Arabia on November 15-16?
On Friday October 18, AMR Global and the Global Health Hub Netherlands’ Community of Practice 2 (CoP2) brought together experts, scientists, and civil servants from the Ministry of Health (VWS) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address this question.
In line with the longstanding Dutch commitment to address AMR in the Netherlands and globally, VWS at the UN High-Level meeting on AMR this September highlighted that the Netherlands continues to see AMR as a top priority for its international engagement.
While the ambition level of the commitments in the Political Declaration fell short of what the Government and those working in the field of AMR in the Netherlands aimed for, the CoP2 embraces the high-level commitment to act, pointing to commitments on access, the emphasis on and specific targets for diagnostics, the role of international collaboration, and the urgent need for enhanced financing (e.g. through the Multi-Party Trust Fund and a call to action for push and pull instruments that support innovation).
The fundamental threat that AMR currently presents to medical care is grossly underestimated. It already affects cancer care, major surgery, and the ability to treat sexually transmitted diseases. The epidemic is with us now and far from silent in crucial areas of medical care, including in the Netherlands.
Global and coordinated action is urgent as laid out in the Political Declaration. CoP2 draws attention to access to and appropriate use of antibiotics, primary prevention, access and innovation, governments setting standards for access and mitigation with the private sector, financing and implementation of national action plans.
Experts from the NGO, Science, Private Sector and VWS illustrated how gains can be made with concrete and distinctive contributions from the Netherlands, including:
- Multi-sectoral scientific and implementation approaches in AMR Global;
- Fostering good practices and enabling ambitious standards in Pharma through transparent reporting as through the Access to Medicines Foundation AMR Benchmark;
- Driving innovation of, and access to antimicrobials, vaccines and diagnostics by stimulation of innovations by Small and Medium Enterprises;
- Focus on appropriate use and stewardship, for example through VWS coordinated activities in the EU JAMRAI program;
- Primary prevention complemented with social innovations.
Thanks to all the participants of the CoP2 Meeting for igniting this crucial discussion on the role of the Netherlands in tackling AMR locally and globally. Let’s turn these insights into action as we move forward.