Re: https://www.hifa.org/dgroups-rss/world-health-assembly-18%E2%80%9323-may...
Further to my message yesterday our colleagues at Health Policy Watch have published an article on this topic.
WHA Member States Approve Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy After Resolving Tech Transfer Debate
https://healthpolicy-watch.news/wha-member-states-approve-who-antimicrob...
Extracts below and a comment from me.
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The investment case is equally staggering: action on infection prevention, water and sanitation, vaccination and responsible drug prescribing could avert 110 million AMR associated deaths and yield nearly $1 trillion in economic gains by 2050, WHO says...
“Despite Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, our country continues to strengthen work in AMR and protect the effectiveness of antimicrobials,” the delegate said. “At the same time, war creates serious additional risks. This includes more infections, *higher use of antimicrobials* [my emphasis] and even pressure on health systems.”
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COMMENT (NPW): We already noted yesterday that the plan omits what is arguably the most important challenge: to ensure that every prescriber and every user has access to reliable information on how to use antimicrobial drugs responsibly. This article from Health Policy Watch mentions the importance of rational prescribing, but says nothing about how this can be promoted - probably because there is nothing in the plan itself.
Furthermore the delegate from Ukraine says there should be *higher use of antimicrobials*. This of course would only worsen the threat of antimicrobial resistance, especially if people indiscriminately use broad-spectrum antibiotics and/or the recommended regimens are not followed. How many other WHO representatives falsely believe that more antibiotics would help stem resistance?
The availability of relevant, reliable information on antibiotics is a prerequisite for the delivery of effective care. Misuse of medicines, and especially antibiotics, is increasingly recognised as a threat to global health.
https://www.hifa.org/sites/default/files/publications_pdf/BMJGlobalHealt...
Empowering prescribers and users of antibiotics with the information they need to use antibiotics responsibly is our #1 challenge and could be readily addressed, but somehow it seems to be repeatedly ignored.
Best wishes, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org