Call to Action on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) – 2021
With the aim of strengthening One Health and multisectoral actions to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), learn from the COVID-19 pandemic to address the growing threat of AMR, which has been referred to as a “silent tsunami”, and deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we commit to the following actions at global, regional, and national levels:
AMR coordination, accountability, and governance
1. Keep AMR high on the political agenda, build awareness and understanding, and strengthen coordination, political leadership, and collaboration on AMR actions through a One Health approach, joining efforts of Member States, the “Tripartite Plus” (WHO, FAO, OIE, and UNEP), other relevant UN agencies, civil society, private sector, academia, and research institutions.
2. Strengthen and accelerate implementation of previous commitments to tackle AMR as included in the 2015 Global Action Plan on AMR, 2016 UN political declaration on AMR, relevant resolutions of the governing bodies of the “Tripartite Plus” and other organisations, and AMR national action plans.
3. Support effective implementation, as appropriate to national circumstances, of the recommendations of the Inter Agency Coordination Group on AMR (IACG) to be led by Member States with the assistance of the Tripartite Joint Secretariat and UNEP through a defined process involving the One Health Global Leaders Group on AMR, relevant UN agencies, and other key stakeholders in a comprehensive and collaborative approach.
4. Actively engage with the Tripartite Joint Secretariat and One Health Global Leaders Group, welcoming the ongoing efforts to establish the Independent Panel on Evidence for Action Against AMR and the AMR partnership platform.
5. Support the strategic role and work of the One Health Global Leaders Group on AMR in further enhancing global collaboration to tackle the growing threat of AMR.
AMR at country level and the SDGs
6. Address the growing global threat of AMR in all countries through a coordinated, multisectoral, inclusive One Health approach to contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, universal health coverage, and strengthening of health systems and future pandemic prevention and preparedness.
7. Encourage all Member States to have a multisectoral AMR national action plan, in line with One Health, that is fully funded, implemented, and evaluated through multisectoral coordination contributed to by appropriate focal points from human health, animal health, the environment, and food production including through engagement with academia, civil society, philanthropic organizations, and the private sector.
8. Maintain and strengthen appropriate stewardship of antimicrobials, including in COVID-19 patients, to avoid inappropriate use that may exacerbate AMR; in that regard, maintain routine immunisation and effectively address the issues of equitable vaccine distribution to help prevent infectious diseases, including COVID-19, and in turn the urgent threat of AMR.
9. Engage in initiatives led by relevant international organisations to track and mitigate AMR at the country, regional, and global levels, including global AMR surveillance systems, annual country self-assessment surveys and guidance on effective stewardship of antimicrobials.
10. Make tackling AMR an integral part of programmes addressing pandemic preparedness, health systems strengthening, universal health coverage, the environment, patient safety, infection prevention and control, promotion of sustainable food systems, food safety and food security, and include AMR in country-led UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks, and UN funds and programmes’ strategic plans and country programme documents, based on national priorities, and country-led Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) of SDG implementation, supporting effective reporting against the SDG3 indicator on AMR adopted by the UN Statistical Commission, March 2020.
11. Strengthen effective and integrated AMR surveillance systems, addressing AMR in infection prevention and control, stewardship, monitoring, regulatory frameworks, enforcement; promote integrated target setting and share best practice, scientific knowledge and technical assistance between countries and regions, upon their request.
AMR financing
12. Work towards sufficient and sustainable funding for AMR-specific and AMR-sensitive actions across One Health, including as part of Covid-19 recovery plans and achieving universal health coverage including at country level, the “Tripartite Plus” organisations, and other relevant UN and multilateral organisations, including the AMR Multi Partner Trust Fund.
13. Support integrating AMR into the UN Financing for Development (FFD) agenda, including through greater capacity building, for greater One Health and multisectoral coherence and impact, and duly take into account the issue of AMR in development investments.
14. Develop global and national economic studies, as appropriate, that account for addressing AMR across One Health, incentivising and prioritising investment needs.
15. Develop and sustain strong partnerships with the relevant private sector, investors, central and development banks, academia, and research institutions to tackle AMR including by incentivising AMR financing, research and development, innovation and equitable access.
AMR next steps
16. Continue to enhance national and global efforts to tackle AMR, and implement the 2015 Global Action Plan on AMR, 2016 UN political declaration on AMR, AMR national action plans, and other commitments and initiatives in cooperation with the “Tripartite Plus”, relevant UN agencies, the Global Leaders Group on AMR, and other relevant key stakeholders through a comprehensive and collaborative approach.
17. Develop and implement a comprehensive and coordinated global advocacy and communications strategy to tackle AMR, led by the “Tripartite Plus” and supported by One Health global coordination structures, including the Global Leaders Group on AMR, involving all relevant key partners.
18. Ensure a strong and relevant AMR focus as part of the work for the UN food systems summit in 2021, UN high-level meeting on universal health coverage in 2023, and other activities related to the Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs, and the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).
19. Evaluate implementation of these commitments on tackling AMR through ongoing work of the “Tripartite Plus”, existing governance mechanisms of the “Tripartite Plus” organisations, and sharing of best practice, challenges, and opportunities including in the informal Group of Friends on Tackling AMR in New York.