As a treatment provider in resource-scarce settings, Médecins Sans Frontières faces serious challenges preventing, diagnosing and treating drug-resistant infections. A decisive strategy with ambitious, context-specific targets is needed to urgently address the situation. We call on member states to prioritise the following actions:
UN Photo/Christopher Black
Firstly, establish a governance and financing mechanism to address AMR with particular emphasis on low- and middle-income countries and humanitarian contexts, ensuring that civil society organisations and affected communities are central to the governance process.
Secondly, ensure equitable access to both existing and novel antimicrobials, diagnostics and vaccines by diversifying manufacturing, establishing pooled procurement systems, and building access conditions into R&D funding. Support is crucial for public and nonprofit R&D initiatives to promote access and stewardship, and for collaborative efforts like global clinical trial networks to overcome innovation barriers.
Lastly, offer meaningful investments toward access to quality healthcare, including infection prevention, antimicrobial stewardship, and laboratory capacity, alongside broad preventive measures, such as WASH and vaccination.
