UN declaration pledges global action against antimicrobial resistance

A landmark declaration agreeing to combat antimicrobial resistance has been unveiled at the UN General Assembly.

In total, 193 countries – including the UK – have signed the declaration, with every signatory agreeing that drug-resistant infections need to be tackled as a priority and pledging to take a number of actions.

They will work to develop surveillance and regulatory systems on the use and sales of antimicrobial medicines for humans and animals, as well as encouraging innovative ways to develop new antibiotics, improve diagnosis speeds and raise awareness among health professionals and the public on how to prevent drug-resistant infections.

It is increasingly widely recognised that these infections are potentially the single biggest threat to modern medicine, with more than 700,000 people dying annually as a result, according to estimates.

However, it is expected that the true number is far higher than this and, if left unchecked, will rise to ten million deaths a year by 2050.

Chief medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said: "Drug-resistant infections are firmly on the global agenda but now the real work begins. We need governments, the pharmaceutical industry, health professionals and the agricultural sector to follow through on their commitments to save modern medicine."

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