PM seeks coordinated global action against widespread use of antibiotics

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday sought coordinated global action to monitor the nature of infections, implement the required control measures and raise awareness against the widespread use of antibiotics.

"We should also ensure affordable access to new antibiotics by all. For this, I also call for increased internationally coordinated investment for more research for inventing the new generation of antibiotics," she said.

The Prime Minister was speaking at the Press Event of the launching of 'One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance' virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban as a co-chair.

She said there is no doubt that antimicrobial resistance has become a global public health challenge both for humans and animals endangering food production and leading all towards catastrophic results.

"We’re running out of available antibiotics and soon could face another global emergency, far worse than the current Covid-19 pandemic," she observed.

She mentioned that this menace has the potential of rolling back most of human's medical and therapeutic successes achieved through scientific advancements over the ages.

"The unnecessary use of antibiotics, wrong doses and overall poor infection prevention are causing this grave situation," the PM said.

Inspired by the WHO Global Action Plan in 2015, Hasina said, Bangladesh formulated the 'National Action Plan for Antimicrobial Resistance Containment 2017–2022'.

She said the document and its associated ‘Roadmap’ speak about government’s policy thrust and commitment to addressing AMR, and this is an important component of the country's efforts to ensure universal health for all.

Saying that prevention is better than cure, she called upon the global leaders to make this timely initiative successful by providing advocacy, technical and financial support for effective implementation of the recommendations of the‘ Inter Agency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial Resistance’ to address the global antimicrobial resistance crisis.

Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Amor Mottley, Directors General of World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) also spoke at the programme.

WHO (World Health Organization), FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) and OIE (World Organization for Animal Health) took the initiative to establish this group for coordinated action and collective global governance to address the serious challenges of the Antimicrobial Resistance.

Source: UNB

AH