Antimicrobial resistance can even threaten food security: Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Tuesday Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) will not only endanger human, animal and plant health, but also threaten food security and the progress achieved in SDGs, reports UNB.
"The Covid-19 pandemic is the defining public health crisis of our time that has already taken more than three million lives. However, the impending pandemic, in the form of antimicrobial resistance, will cause even more harm to the global health," she said.
The Prime Minister said this in her pre-recorded video message in the 'One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (GLG-AMR)' as co-chair with Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Amor Mottley.
Sheikh Hasina said antimicrobial resistance can affect anyone, regardless of geographical location and socioeconomic condition.
"For AMR containment, we've to ensure strict adherence to Infection Prevention and Control-IPC measures. That's possible through implementation of Global Action Plan-2015 on AMR and 2016 UN political declaration on AMR," she said.
In this regard, she put forward seven suggestions for addressing the challenges of AMR which is crucial for preventing future pandemics.
These include: Setting up of global, regional, and national targets and inclusive monitoring as well as reporting system to achieve the goals of ARC, developing guidelines and policies at different tiers for the appropriate use of antimicrobials and sharing of scientific knowledge and technical assistance for ensuring effective and inclusive AMR surveillance and capacity building.