The goal of the Global Framework for Development and Stewardship to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance (the Framework) is to promote and protect the health of humans, animals, plants and to protect the environment in recognition of their interconnection under the One Health approach.
The Framework aims to address current gaps in the global governance of antimicrobial resistance through setting overarching goals, norms and standards as well as targets, ensuring their implementation and accountability across countries, organisations and relevant stakeholders.
A second informal consultation on the Global Development and Stewardship Framework to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance (the Framework) took place with the Member States and relevant partners at the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters on the 01st – 02nd October.
The second informal consultation was held in accordance with the mandate to the Director-General to finalise, in consultation with Member States and relevant partners, a global development and stewardship framework. The Framework aims to support the development, control, distribution and appropriate use of new antimicrobial medicines, diagnostic tools, vaccines and other interventions, while preserving existing antimicrobial medicines, and promoting affordable access to existing and new antimicrobial medicines and diagnostic tools, taking into account the needs of all countries, in line with the global action plan on antimicrobial resistance.
ISQua was delighted to be represented at this meeting by ISQua Expert Dr Anthony Staines.
The Framework was well received at the meeting by member states and by non-state actors. The main discussion revolved around choosing between a binding or a non-binding legal concept for implementation. Many of the lower-middle income countries were in favour of a non-binding model, highlighting that it would be a quicker solution to implement the Framework (but implicitly pointing to a resource challenge for implementation).
The Director-General of WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus chaired the session of the United Nations Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (IACG). He stated that Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) was within WHO’s top 5 priorities and that there needed to be an international investment in AMR, well beyond research and development.
The WHO and the IACG will now take the comments from the consultation, refine the Framework and prepare implementation documents in 2019.
Further information on the Framework is available on the WHO’s website:
http://www.who.int/phi/news/consultation_stewardship-framework/en/