UN General Assembly Discusses (AMR)

The pressing problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was discussed by the UN General Assembly. They classified it as a serious danger to world health. The gathering emphasized the One Health strategy and demanded quick action. The interdependence of environmental, animal, and human health is taken into account in this method.

General Overview of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR): this is when microbes lose the ability to be affected by medicines — be it antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals or antiparasitics.
• Since the 1950s these drugs have been commonly misused and overutilized as growth promoters in livestock.
• Although the World Health Organization (WHO) advised that antibiotic growth promoters should be eliminated from agriculture as early as 2000, they are still used;
• AMR hinders achievements in treating infectious diseases and makes it increasingly difficult to tackle elimination of diseases such as TB and malaria.
• Due to its unequal burden in economic terms, AMR results in rising medical expenses and financial losses for low- and middle-income countries.
• The One Health approach — which recognizes that human health, animal health and environmental health are all interconnected and calls for cross-sectoral collaboration.
• Their eventual acknowledgment of AMR has in certain quarters triggered the global debate on how best to minimize antibiotic overuse.
• Actionable points include educating people on AMR, governmental enforcement with research investment as well and equipping scientific bodies to act globally.