At the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), world leaders made a historic commitment to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). A political declaration was adopted, setting ambitious goals to reduce the global health, environmental, and agricultural impact of AMR. This aligns closely with the aims of the One Health Breakthrough Partnership (OHBP), which advocates for a holistic approach to health that links human, animal, and environmental wellbeing.
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites become resistant to medicines, making infections difficult to treat. As part of the declaration, world leaders committed to reducing human deaths caused by bacterial AMR by 10% by 2030. The OHBP welcomes this initiative as it resonates with the One Health framework, which recognises that AMR cannot be addressed by focusing solely on human health.
The declaration calls for action across multiple sectors. For human health, it seeks to ensure that by 2030, 70% of antibiotics used globally are from the WHO’s Access group, which poses a lower risk of resistance. Meanwhile, in agriculture, leaders committed to reducing antimicrobial use in food systems, focusing on sustainable livestock practices and preventive measures such as vaccination.
The OHBP has long supported the idea that sustainable food systems are integral to human and animal health. Responsible use of antimicrobials in agriculture not only preserves animal welfare but also ensures food safety and security.
A major focus of the declaration is addressing the environmental impact of AMR, an area of concern for the OHBP. Pollution from antimicrobial residues in water, soil, and ecosystems contributes to the spread of resistance.
As the declaration states:
“On the environment, the declaration underscores the need to prevent and address the discharge of antimicrobials into the environment. It also calls for increased research and knowledge on the environmental dimensions of AMR and for catalysing actions to address key sources of antimicrobial pollution.“
This is a call for greater research and innovation to understand how environmental contamination is contributing to AMR. The OHBP fully supports this focus, particularly in improving agricultural practices and reducing pharmaceutical waste.
To support these goals, the declaration outlines sustainable financing, including a target of US$100 million by 2030 to ensure that 60% of countries can implement national AMR action plans. The One Health Breakthrough Partnership has always stressed the importance of securing diverse, sustainable funding streams to ensure effective AMR action, especially in low-resource settings.
Clear governance structures have been established, with the FAO, WHO, UNEP, and WOAH – known as the Quadripartite – tasked with coordinating global efforts. There are also plans to create an independent panel by 2025 to provide evidence-based recommendations for tackling AMR.
While the adoption of this declaration is a major step forward, it is only the beginning. The One Health Breakthrough Partnership calls on governments, industries, and civil society to turn these commitments into action. AMR is a complex, global issue that demands a united response across all sectors.
To learn more about the declaration, read the full press release here.
The One Health Breakthrough Partnership supports collaborative efforts to tackle AMR, recognising that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are interconnected.