Ministers, Excellencies, distinguished guests.

Good afternoon.

As a species, humans have always been concerned about their health, and rightfully so. Health is the foundation upon which all aspects of life are built, and it is the key to living a fulfilling and meaningful existence. However, despite our best efforts, our health is constantly under threat from various factors, and one of the most significant challenges we face today is AMR or antimicrobial resistance.

As patron for WHO Europe, I fully support and see health as a fundamental human right. And we must work together to give that ‘right’ meaning; by ensuring all people have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without suffering financial hardship.

Today’s event is of great importance in ensuring a healthier future for all. The threats posed by AMR require common urgent action and today’s event will hopefully, inspire and drive such action.

Our experiences from COVID-19 showed us not only the danger of what the eye cannot see, but also the importance of tackling such challenges collectively across sectors, boarders, and all levels of society with political priority.

Like COVID-19, AMR is not only a microbiological problem, but also a socio-economic problem that can impact many aspects of our lives.

Around the world, we are already witnessing the dire consequences of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites developing resistance, rendering previously life-saving treatments less effective or entirely ineffective.

The so-called “silent pandemic” is not so silent after all. It is a leading cause of death worldwide, estimated to claim more than 1.27 million lives each year, and the numbers are set to rise. By 2050, the World Bank estimates that AMR could drive an additional 28 million people into severe poverty and trigger 1 trillion dollars in healthcare costs.

The impact of AMR on our health is enormous, and it affects everyone, regardless of age, gender, or geography.

Over the past decade, significant progress has been achieved. One of the most significant achievements has been the recognition of the issue as a global health priority. WHO and other international organizations have taken steps to raise awareness of the issue and encourage action from governments, health professionals, and the public.

Another achievement has been the development of some new and effective antimicrobial drugs and vaccines to combat resistant strains of bacteria and viruses. There has also been progress in promoting the responsible use of antibiotics in both human and animal health.

Although development of technical innovations is an important dimension of tackling AMR, we must also ensure that existing and new antimicrobials are handled with care and that surveillance systems are strengthened to monitor the spread of resistant strains of microorganisms and identify outbreaks early.

In this regard, I would like to highlight the WHO Global Action Plan for AMR launched in 2015, which has been instrumental in catalysing change. It has inspired action across the One Health spectrum with currently 166 countries having developed National Action Plans for AMR.

Despite progress, more action is needed.

AMR cannot be addressed in isolation. It is linked with other important global agendas such as achieving Universal Health Coverage, the Sustainable Development Goals, strengthening health systems, addressing food security, and responding to the climate crisis. To overcome a challenge of this magnitude, AMR clearly demands collaboration across borders, sectors and competing agendas.

The global recognition of AMR also as a socioeconomic challenge is crucial.

During my travels, I have seen first-hand how limited or no access to effective antibiotics leads to devastating consequences for people most in need – the most vulnerable. This emphasizes the need for context-specific interventions that address the multiple challenges countries face.

In Low- and Middle-Income Countries, already fragile health systems face a higher frequency of critical infections, against a backdrop of limited sanitation and hygiene, and sporadic access to diagnostics and regulated medicines. These conditions exacerbate the threat of AMR.

For women, these factors are only made worse by sociocultural norms and limited access to education and health information. Women are more exposed to antimicrobial use and resistance due to biological factors, their type of employment, and their role in home-based care work. In fact, women are 27 percent more likely to receive an antibiotic prescription in their lifetime compared to men.

In response to this, Denmark initiated, in 2018, the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS). Its’ mission is to partner with Low- and Middle-Income Countries to co-develop, test and scale-up context-specific solutions to AMR challenges. ICARS – now an independent international organization - has initiated several mutually beneficial partnerships with Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Today AMR is a global health priority and global governance for AMR has been strengthened with the formation of the Quadripartite collaboration and the Global Leaders Group on AMR, which serves as a driving force for building and continued momentum and political action.

AMR is like a complex web of connections that can be hard to untangle. It's easy to get lost in the technical details and forget about the real-world impact that AMR has on people's lives. To break through the complexity, we need to find a way to weave together the science and policy with the human stories behind AMR. By doing so, we can better understand the problem and its’ urgency, making it easier for everyone to act against it.

By bringing together researchers, policymakers, and politicians, today’s meeting can provide a significant contribution to tackling AMR as a global threat.

COVID-19 taught us that no one is safe until everybody is safe and that no ‘one’ person, organization or country can solve such challenges alone. Let us build on that experience to help us overcome the global health challenge of AMR.

Thank you.

 

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