Context:
Recently, the European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and the Global Leaders Group (GLG) on AMR jointly organised a high-level event, ‘Forging partnerships between science and policy’, in Barcelona, Spain.
Relevance:
GS II: International Relations
About Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR):
Composition:
- Comprises world leaders and experts from various sectors collaborating to accelerate political action on antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Objectives:
- Performs an independent global advisory and advocacy role.
- Aims to maintain urgency, public support, political momentum, and visibility of the AMR challenge on the global health and development agenda.
Background:
- Established in November 2020 based on the recommendation of the Interagency Coordination Group (IACG) on Antimicrobial Resistance.
- The inaugural meeting occurred in January 2021, marking the commencement of collaborative efforts.
Secretariat:
- Supported by the Quadripartite Joint Secretariat (QJS) on Antimicrobial Resistance.
- The QJS comprises the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), providing secretariat assistance for the Group’s activities.
What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)?
- Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites to remain unaffected or survive antimicrobial drugs such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials.
- AMR occurs when microorganisms exposed to antimicrobial drugs develop antimicrobial resistance resulting in standard treatments becoming ineffective leading to persistence of infections and spreading of infections.
- Microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are sometimes referred to as “superbugs”.
- The misuse of antimicrobials in medicine and inappropriate use in agriculture is one of the major causes of spread of Antimicrobial Resistance.
- Contamination around pharmaceutical manufacturing sites where untreated waste releases large amounts of active antimicrobials into the environment also leads to spread of AMR.
Basis of Antimicrobial Resistance
- Some bacteria due to the presence of resistance genes are intrinsically resistant and therefore survive on being exposed to antibiotics.
- Bacteria can also acquire resistance by sharing and transferring resistance genes present in the rest of the population, or by genetic mutations that help the bacteria survive antibiotic exposure.
-Source: Down To Earth
