WHO To Develop Global Action Plan Against Antibiotic Resistance

Faced with growing global concern over microbial resistance to antibiotic treatments, the annual World Health Assembly last week adopted a resolution to establish a global action plan on antimicrobial resistance.

The draft resolution [pdf] recommended by the Executive Board in January, was originally prepared by member states and cosponsored by a large number of them, some on the final day. The resolution calls for the establishment of a global action plan and a tripartite collaboration between the WHO, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

The resolution, adopted by the Assembly, also contains a list of actions that member states are engaged to take. The 67^th World Health Assembly was held from 19-24 May.

“Resistant bugs are everywhere, they don’t discriminate and they don’t respond to treatments,” the Netherlands delegate said. “We have to act now and we have to act together, we cannot do it alone.”

These include: to develop or strengthen national plans and strategies and international collaboration for the containment of antimicrobial resistance, and to monitor the extent of antimicrobial resistance and monitor regularly the use of antibiotics in all relevant sectors, in particular health and agriculture, including animal husbandry.

It also includes: to encourage and support research and development, including by academia and through new collaborative and financial models, to combat antimicrobial resistance and promote responsible use of antimicrobials, develop practical and feasible approaches for extending the lifespan of antimicrobial drugs and encourage the development of novel diagnostics and antimicrobial drugs.

The resolution also requests the WHO director general “to set aside adequate resources for the work in the Secretariat.”

And it asks that the secretariat “develop a draft global action plan to combat antimicrobial resistance, including antibiotic resistance, which addresses the need to ensure that all countries, especially low and middle income countries,” and have the capacity to combat antimicrobial resistance.

WHO is further to “apply a multisectoral approach to inform the drafting of the global action plan, by consulting Member States as well as other relevant stakeholders, especially other multilateral stakeholders, such as FAO and OIE.”

Also approved was report on the draft global action plan [pdf] on antimicrobial resistance, subsequently prepared by the WHO secretariat. The document states: “The Secretariat will lead the development of a draft global action plan that reflects the commitment, perspectives and roles of all relevant stakeholders, and in which everyone has clear and shared ownership and responsibilities.”

WHO issued a statement at the close of the Assembly stating: “WHO will develop a draft global action plan to combat antimicrobial resistance, including antibiotic resistance for presentation to the World Health Assembly for approval next year.”

Speaking in unison, countries, irrespective of their level of development, underlined the gravity of the issue of microbes resisting to antibiotic treatments and described national efforts to tackle the issue.

“Resistant bugs are everywhere, they don’t discriminate and they don’t respond to treatments,” the Netherlands delegate said. “We have to act now and we have to act together, we cannot do it alone.”

Developing Countries: Make Medicines Accessible

Developing countries underlined the need to take their particular condition into account, and that new medicines developed should be accessible.

Mexico proposed an amendment to the resolution to prevent conflicts of interest relating to the paragraph on the multisectoral approach, which was approved.

According to the resolution, antimicrobial resistance involves a wide range of pathogens including bacteria, viruses and parasites. However, the development of resistance among some pathogens, particularly antibiotic-resistant bacteria, is of particular urgency.

According to the WHO, the fight against this rising threat “requires sharing information on the extent of resistance and the use of antibiotics in humans and animals.” It also involves “improving awareness among health providers and the public of the threat posed by resistance, the need for responsible use of antibiotics, and the importance of good hand hygiene and other measures to prevent infections,” the WHO said.

Civil Society, Private Sector Concerned

A new coalition of some 50 NGOs, called the Antibiotic Resistance Coalition, issued a declaration [pdf], a summary of which was presented at the WHA.

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) said that “in order to address the scientific challenges holding back the discovery of new antibiotics, basic science in antibiotics must be stimulated.”

IFPMA went on to say that “rebuilding the drug discovery infrastructure will require sustained efforts and funding by governments, academia and industry.”