En route to UN High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance
“Above all, it is important that money is put on the table and that political commitments are now actually implemented,” says Anna Sjöblom, Head of React Europe.
On 26 September, the UN will hold a high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance, and one of the participants will be ReAct from Uppsala University. Among other things, they will submit the signatures from the ‘Call to Global Action’ campaign. We interviewed Anna Sjöblom, Head of ReAct Europe.
What outcome do you hope the meeting will produce?
“Above all, it is important that money is put on the table and that political commitments are now actually implemented. This is an issue of global equity, where the shift towards protecting antibiotics needs to be made in all societies and all sectors, but the circumstances differ considerably.
There have been some recent successes in this area. There is more commitment now than in 2016 when the last high-level meeting was held. There is a broader approach with the links between human health, animal health and the environment now better understood. This is the second high-level meeting in history to be held on antimicrobial resistance, so it is a rare and unique opportunity.”
How has ReAct contributed to the UN Declaration?
“We started early, back at the beginning of last year, through different activities and by developing recommendations. For example, a dialogue meeting hosted by Uppsala University was held in May last year during Sweden’s presidency of the EU.
In collaboration with the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, we also held a small roundtable discussion focusing on low and middle-income countries and the priorities that are important for their work. ReAct is a global network and has worked hard to create a broader representation that also includes civil society.”
You are a global network; how have the discussions been progressing ahead of the UN meeting?
“A huge societal transition needs to be carried out and, just as with the climate crisis, there are different conditions for taking action in different parts of the world. It has been important for us to come together and discuss leadership and the roles of civil society and academia. We’ve also spent a lot of time talking about how we can communicate so that decision-makers understand the gravity of it.”
What are the key topics on the agenda of the summit in New York?
“We at ReAct have read all versions of the declaration and provided input through various channels. We have emphasised the issues of equity, ensuring that all those in need have access to existing antibiotics, as well as ensuring that the development of new antibiotics is accelerated. We have also pushed hard for low and middle-income countries to be supported in their transition.
The declaration is now finalised and has been handed over to the chair of the meeting. The high-level meeting itself is a way to highlight the issue, so that we get strong political leadership on this agreement. For us at ReAct, it’s about bringing civil society together and making sure that politicians are given a push, so we can leave the meeting with the feeling that there is a 'before' and an 'after’”.
During the meeting, signatures will be submitted from ReAct’s ‘Call for Global Action’. What is the idea behind that?
“There have not been many unifying platforms on this issue beyond the expert and politician stages. We invited groups around the world to help shape the text. We put a lot of emphasis on equity issues, the importance of prevention and including different groups in the work.”
Annica Hulth
Facts: ReAct
- ReAct – Action on Antibiotic Resistance – is a global network that aims to bring together different stakeholders and achieve science-based action on antibiotic resistance.
- ReAct is coordinated by Uppsala University in central Uppsala. There are three more centres around the world, located in Zambia, Ecuador and India.
- A 'Call to Global Action' highlights 10 facts about antibiotic resistance and the importance of taking action. Examples include mortality, healthcare costs, increased poverty and lack of access to antibiotics, but also the importance of multi-sectoral coordination and the role of local communities.