WHO at UNGA: Name for pressing, high-level motion to handle world scourge of antimicrobial resistance

The World Well being Group (WHO) and companions will name on world leaders to handle important world well being challenges, and put money into world public well being, at conferences all through the high-level week of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), to be held in New York from 20 to 30 September 2024.

The second High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) on 26 September 2024 would be the principal official, health-focused occasion in the course of the UNGA high-level week. With out decisive motion, reminiscent of that outlined within the closing textual content of the draft political declaration for the assembly, AMR will trigger much more world struggling, notably in low- and middle-income nations. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) happens when micro organism, viruses, fungi and parasites now not reply to medicines, making folks sicker and growing the unfold of infections which might be troublesome to deal with, resulting in sickness and deaths. The intergovernmental negotiations for the declaration have been co-facilitated by Malta and Barbados. The first UN High-level Meeting on AMR came about in 2016. 

“Antimicrobial resistance threatens a century of medical progress and will return us to the pre-antibiotic period, the place infections which might be treatable at this time may develop into a loss of life sentence,” stated Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-Common, who will handle the high-level assembly on AMR. “This can be a risk for all nations in any respect revenue ranges, which is why a robust, accelerated and well-coordinated world response is required urgently.” 

UNGA79 takes place at an important second because the world continues to recuperate from the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerates efforts to satisfy the 2030 Sustainable Growth Objectives (SDGs). Regardless of important strides, progress in the direction of well being targets stays off observe, exacerbated by ongoing humanitarian, social, and local weather crises. Hundreds of thousands of individuals nonetheless lack entry to life-saving well being providers, highlighting the hyperlink between well being and sustainable improvement.  

The Summit of the Future, which can happen on 22 and 23 September, will convey collectively world leaders to forge a brand new worldwide consensus on learn how to ship higher within the current, together with making certain world determination making is guided by science, attaining the SDGs and safeguarding the longer term. Throughout the Summit, Heads of State and high-ranking authorities officers are anticipated to endorse the Pact for the Future, which can embrace a World Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations. Well being priorities are well-reflected within the outcomes, together with the significance of entry to well being providers and attaining common well being protection. 

Throughout the week, WHO officers will take part in official and casual health-focused occasions starting from digital well being, maternal, little one and adolescent well being, communicable and noncommunicable illnesses, and psychological well being, to motion on local weather change, advancing progress towards Common Well being Protection, and pandemic preparedness and response.

“Sturdy well being techniques, equitable entry to well being providers, and sturdy pandemic preparedness are very important for a safer and more healthy world,” Dr Tedros stated. “We should harness the facility of digital applied sciences to bridge gaps in entry to well being providers and construct resilient techniques that may meet the a number of overlapping well being challenges of our world, from outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics to local weather change and the burden of noncommunicable illnesses.” 

The UN Common Meeting takes place throughout WHO’s first Funding Spherical, a collection of engagements and ongoing efforts to safe sustainable financing for WHO’s core work for the interval of 2025-2028. Dr Tedros and WHO representatives will likely be conveying the significance of investing in world well being and of a sturdy and totally funded WHO to work with nations in advancing well being for all. On 23 September, Dr Tedros and European Funding Financial institution President Nadia Calviño will maintain a live-streamed hearth chat moderated by Suzanne Lynch of Politico on why investing in main healthcare is important at a time of elevated shocks brought on by illness outbreaks like mpox.

This will likely be adopted later within the day by the European Funding Financial institution and WHO co-hosting a high-level roundtable underneath the brand new Well being Impression Funding Platform, which can highlight nation stage motion to spice up vaccination and community-based well being. Each conferences will likely be streamed by way of WHO and Dr Tedros’ social media channels.

On 24 September, WHO will host the Third Annual Gathering of the Heads of State and Authorities for the prevention and management of Noncommunicable Ailments (NCDs), to catalyze dedication on the highest ranges of Authorities, and bolster engagement by companions forward of the UNGA high-level assembly on NCDs and Psychological Well being in 2025. 

From 22-29 September, 2024, WHO will take part in key occasions, panels and initiatives throughout Local weather Week NYC. Bringing collectively world leaders, companies, policymakers and activists, the occasions will think about options to pressing local weather challenges forward of important worldwide summits.   

WHO consultants will make it a precedence to make sure that the well being argument for local weather motion takes centre stage in world discussions. They may underscore how local weather change isn’t solely an environmental challenge but additionally a urgent well being disaster, immediately affecting hundreds of thousands of individuals worldwide. 

Rising temperatures, poor air high quality, and disrupted ecosystems are contributing to the unfold of infectious illnesses, respiratory diseases, and malnutrition. 

Throughout UNGA, WHO will interact in a variety of occasions and discussions specializing in pandemic preparedness and response, at the same time as Member States proceed their negotiations for a brand new conference, settlement or worldwide instrument or accord.

Digital entry to UNGA79  

Official UNGA conferences and among the WHO sponsored occasions are accessible nearly by way of UN WebTV. Go to the WHO at UNGA 79 webpage for additional info.