Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said sustained political will and action are needed to prevent the Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) from turning into a deep crisis, reports BSS.
She said, "AMR is a problem that can turn into a crisis. It can cost millions of lives worldwide. We need sustained political will and action to prevent it from happening."
There is no alternative to creating mass awareness about AMR, she added.
Sheikh Hasina made these remarks at the outset of the breakfast meeting on AMR at the Lexington Hotel in New York.
From this Global Leadership Group, she said that they have been working on highlighting the issue and it is evident that more needs to be done.
"The strategic priorities are well identified. We have to make sure that they are duly implemented. They need to be anchored in a 'One Health approach," she said.
Mentioning that nearly 150 countries already have their national action plans on AMR, Sheikh Hasina said meaningful support is needed to implement them in low and middle-income countries.
She said AMR should gain prominence in international development cooperation and the Multi-Partner Trust Fund, set up in 2019, can be the preferred instrument. "A robust investment case for AMR needs to be made at global and national levels", she added.
"Early diagnosis can be ensured through links with primary health care systems," she added.
The Prime Minister said there is no alternative to creating mass awareness about AMR and the annual global awareness week in November is a suitable occasion for that.
She also opined reporting on those indicators can help develop AMR policies affecting human health, animal health, food systems and the environment.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
