WHO Director-General: Antimicrobial resistance crisis is happening

Challenging even in peacetime

Al-Balkh said pushing to tackle antimicrobial resistance is “a very heavy agenda in peacetime and even more daunting in conflict” because people lack the proper hygiene and health tools to keep themselves safe and to avoid providing a breeding ground for antimicrobial resistance.

She said WHO was “taking innovative measures” wherever possible to protect people in conflict zones from the spread of antimicrobial resistance, including providing safe drinking water and tackling open defecation.

“The only goal of bacteria is to survive,” Al-Balkh said. “They were here before us, and unfortunately, they will probably continue to be here millions of years after us. So, it would be wise for us to at least keep up with the evolution of these microbes and make sure we don’t get hurt by them.”

She hopes the international community can reach a point where it is no longer consumed by war and can focus on “development, prosperity, advanced medical care, [so that] we don’t have to worry about these germs setting medical progress back decades.”

Real change

Another participant, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Assistant Director-General Thiensing, said the organization wants to ensure that countries, producers, farmers, the private sector, academia and other stakeholders can take proactive measures to reduce the need for antimicrobials in agriculture.

He stressed that through collective action, more can be done to ensure better health outcomes for humans and animals.