Cambodia Calls for Shared Efforts to Reduce Impacts from Antimicrobial Resistance

The second High-Level Meeting on AMR is held on September 26 in New York alongside the 79th session of the General Assembly to rally political commitment to reducing AMR’s impacts. Photo by Sao Phal Niseiy

NEW YORK—Cambodia on September 26 called for a shared global effort to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR), especially drug-resistant tuberculosis, as United Nations (UN) members renewed political commitments to tackling AMR's hidden impacts.

Secretary of State at the Ministry of Health, Youk Sambath, stated that Cambodia considers AMR one of the most urgent global health threats, undermining the ability to treat infections and conduct medical procedures.

"AMR is not just a health crisis but a development challenge. It affects our economy, food security, and overall well-being," Sambath told the UN High-Level Meeting on AMR in New York, held alongside the 79th session of the General Assembly to rally political commitment to reducing AMR's impacts.
"This demands a unified and urgent response."

Health Ministry's Secretary of State, Youk Sambath delivers a speech at the second UN high-level forum on antimicrobial resistance in New York. Photo from UN TV.

Sambath's call took place as all UN member states adopted the political declaration at the second meeting, which was held following the first AMR high-level meeting in 2016. While the 2016 meeting aimed to raise global awareness about AMR, the latest gathering focused on scaling up global, regional and national efforts to combat the issue.

Through the new commitments, countries aim to reduce deaths from drug-resistant bacteria by 10 percent. They are also committed to sustainable national financing and $100 million in catalytic funding, with a target of at least 60 percent of countries having funded national action plans on AMR by 2030.

No country is safe from AMR

Cambodia is not immune to the antimicrobial resistance crisis as a least-developed country.

Choub Sok Chamreun, Executive Director of KHANA, a national non-governmental organization (NGO) that provides HIV and tuberculosis (TB) prevention, care, and support services at the community level, praised the global effort and commitment to addressing AMR's growing impacts.

Attending the meeting as Cambodia's NGO representative, Chamreun agreed with Sambath that AMR is a critical issue, noting that the new political commitment demonstrates that global leaders recognize the urgency of addressing and minimizing its impacts.

"This is a global issue that requires solidarity and unity. Given globalization, rich countries cannot be safe without supporting poor countries," Chamreun said.

Executive Director of KHANA, Choub Sok Chamreun attends the second UN high-level forum on antimicrobial resistance in New York on September 26. Photo: Sao Phal Niseiy

According to Chamreun, failing to address AMR will have considerable consequences for least-developed countries like Cambodia, posing significant public health and development challenges.

"This will add more strain to public health, impede our development efforts, and hinder the advancement of our healthcare system," he added.

When asked about Cambodia's increasing drug resistance, Chamreun explained that more instances of resistance are being detected in TB cases due to a lack of knowledge about proper medication use.

"As we work on TB and HIV, we are seeing more cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis, so we need to raise awareness about the importance of proper medication use," he said.

Although TB medication is available for free in Cambodia, Chamreun emphasized that the increase in drug-resistant TB will place further strain on the state budget and public health system, undermining Cambodia's sustainable development efforts.

Cambodia is stepping up efforts to tackle AMR. According to Sambath, Cambodia has recently established a national multisectoral and interministerial Committee for One Health, which includes AMR, and has adopted a multinational action plan for 2024 to 2028 to support these efforts.

However, challenges remain. "We need to focus on investing in a robust healthcare system and improving access to safe and effective antimicrobials," Sambath said.

"Together, through a shared effort, we can curb the rise of AMR and safeguard global health for future generations, including multidrug resistance to tuberculosis."

A complex and existential threat

Addressing the forum, Amina Mohamed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, said that AMR is a complex and existential threat to health, development, the environment, and food security.

She called on nations to take collective action to address the costly impacts of the AMR crisis, which is already responsible for 1.3 million deaths annually, with one in five of those deaths being children.

"Without a significant increase in action before 2030, antimicrobial resistance will reduce global life expectancy by nearly two years," she warned, adding that the political commitment will enable countries to respond more robustly to AMR.

While Mohamed highlighted the importance of taking the political declaration seriously, she also stressed the need for bold actions and diversified financing to support health systems and nutritious food production.

"Partnerships and international cooperation are essential in supporting these nations in AMR reform, healthcare investment, and the promotion of hygiene," Mohamed added.

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, echoed the significant impacts of AMR on global health, development, and the environment.

"This is not a hypothetical risk; it is here and now," Tedros said, adding that it is ironic that those in the global south bear the brunt of the AMR crisis.

"They overuse antibiotics yet lack access to effective treatments," he said.WHO chief warned that without collective efforts to address AMR, it could reverse decades of medical progress and obstruct global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Many factors contribute to the development and spread of AMR, including overuse and misuse of antimicrobials, agricultural practices, and inadequate infection control measures like hygiene and sanitation.

AMR impacts health, food safety, security, and the environment, all essential for fulfilling development agendas. Failing to address AMR could lead to global economic losses. According to the World Bank, there could be an additional US$1 trillion in healthcare costs by 2050, and up to US$3.4 trillion in gross domestic product (GDP) losses per year by 2030.

Meanwhile, the World Organisation for Animal Health estimates that AMR will impact up to 2 billion people and claim almost 39 million more lives by 2050.

The hard work to tackle AMR begins now

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, who chairs the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR Leaders), emphasized that the political declaration with new, ambitious commitments is a major accomplishment.

"In today's challenging world, with geopolitical tensions, achieving this political declaration is a significant achievement," Mia said.

She urged nations to accelerate political action on AMR immediately, describing it as a "slow-motion and silent pandemic."

"This blueprint is impressive but demanding. The hard work starts tomorrow," Mottley said, noting that around $100 million, a modest request to assist states, has been raised.

While securing financing is important, Mottley also aims to engage with leaders in the private sector and the pharmaceutical industry to gain support in the fight against AMR. Additionally, more funding is needed to advance scientific research and public health investment.

Mottley stressed that AMR is more than just an acronym, adding that actions taken by countries through the political declaration will be a significant investment in the future.

"Let this effort be owned not by governments but by the people of the world, who face infection one by one and who need safe and effective antibiotics. Any alternative to antimicrobials will be a lifesaver," she concluded.

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