In New York on September 26, 2024, at the UN High-Level Meeting on AMR, world leaders officially adopted the Political Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), recognizing drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) as one of the key components in the global fight against AMR. The declaration underscores the urgent need for coordinated global action to combat AMR, a threat that claims 1.27 million lives each year.
The inclusion of DR-TB among key priorities was the result of comprehensive advocacy efforts carried out by civil society organizations and communities, supported by the Stop TB Partnership and in collaboration with NTPs and country missions at the UN. The need for more proactive measures to fight the threat of drug-resistant TB and the prioritization of TB in global efforts to address AMR were the foundation of the key Asks agreed upon by the partners.
Key Highlights of the AMR Political Declaration include:
* DR-TB has been recognized as an essential component of the global AMR efforts . The text expresses grave concern that DR-TB places an additional burden on health and community systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and poses a critical challenge that could reverse the progress made against the disease, against antimicrobial resistance and towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
* A target to reduce the global deaths associated with AMR by 10% by 2030 and a funding target of USD 100 million to catalyse the achievement of at least 60 per cent of countries having funded AMR plans by 2025.
* The declaration recognizes the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility as a key procurement and market-shaping instrument, recognizing its key role in supplying TB and AMR medicines to countries.
* A paragraph proposed by the TB community recognizes the need to support vulnerable groups. It recognizes the profound socioeconomic challenges and financial hardships faced by people affected by antimicrobial resistance and affirms that people require integrated, people-centred prevention, diagnosis, treatment, management of side effects, and care, as well as psychosocial, nutritional and socioeconomic support, including to reduce stigma and discrimination.
* Agreement to establish an independent panel for evidence for action against antimicrobial resistance in 2025.
We applaud the commitment demonstrated by UN Member States and calls on them to provide the required funding to implement the declaration's commitments. The declaration provides a critical opportunity to mobilize resources, political will, and the partnerships necessary to tackle DR-TB and broader AMR challenges.
The final draft of Political Declaration on AMR you can find by the link - https://www.un.org/pga/wp-content/uploads/sites/108/2024/09/FINAL-Text-AMR-to-PGA.pdf
