This September, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will host a High-Level Meeting in New York to address the pressing issue of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). Member states are currently negotiating the draft political declaration, which is anticipated to be adopted at the meeting.

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based think tank actively involved in global AMR strategies, is advocating for the specific needs and priorities of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to be recognized in the declaration.

“It is critical that the ongoing discussions around the draft political declaration are adequately informed about the priorities of LMICs, which clearly have different challenges and possibilities compared to other countries,” stated Amit Khurana, Director of the Sustainable Food Systems Programme at CSE. Recently, CSE organized a global webinar to address this issue.

AMR, particularly antibiotic resistance, is a silent pandemic and one of the most significant public health threats today. The misuse and overuse of antibiotics in humans, animals, and crops are rendering antibiotics ineffective, with bacteria increasingly developing resistance. In 2019, antibiotic resistance was associated with approximately five million deaths worldwide.

Jean Pierre Nyemazi, Director a.i. of Global Coordination and Partnership & Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on AMR at the World Health Organization, emphasized the urgency of the matter at the CSE webinar. “The time is now if we want to continue advocating for it to come in the shape that we want. We need to work through the member states’ negotiators to try to raise the urgency of committing to very bold, specific, and measurable actions,” Nyemazi urged.

Sujit Chandy, Executive Director of the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions in Denmark, highlighted the need for effective implementation and financing of national action plans on AMR, particularly in LMICs. He pointed out four key points: science, political commitment, narrative, and financing. Chandy stressed that addressing context-specific challenges and developing sustainable solutions in LMICs is crucial.

Leena Menghaney, IP Advisor and South Asia Head of Medecins Sans Frontieres Access Campaign in India, called for a balanced focus on prevention and access issues that directly affect people in terms of diagnostics and treatment. CSE’s Programme Manager for Sustainable Food Systems, Rajeshwari Sinha, emphasized the importance of prevention, stating, “Prevention approaches are cost-effective in most cases, and the returns on investments are much higher.”

Recently, CSE published a report titled “Priorities of Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) to Inform the High-Level Meeting on AMR at UNGA 2024.” The report outlines key action points, including financing national action plans, antibiotic R&D and access, transforming food systems through preventive approaches, and managing antibiotic pollution from manufacturing. It also reflects on national-level enablers and challenges crucial for achieving global action targets.

“The UNGA High-Level Meeting on AMR is an opportune moment for LMICs to put their voice forward, and this opportunity should not be missed. We appeal to the member countries to listen to this voice,” Khurana urged.

As the world grapples with the escalating threat of AMR, the upcoming UN meeting serves as a critical platform for LMICs to advocate for their unique needs and contribute to a globally coordinated response.