In focus
Lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic can help mobilize urgent global action to address the silent pandemic of antibiotic resistance affecting countries throughout the world.
Antibiotics are critical components of all health systems. In an article published online in The Lancet Global Health June 15, authors from the senior leadership of ReAct, argue that a health system approach nationally and globally is critical to mitigate the devastating consequences of antibiotic resistance.
ReAct is an independent network dedicated to the problem of antibiotic resistance. ReAct is a global catalyst, advocating and stimulating for global engagement on antibiotic resistance through a broad range of collaborations.
Celebration!
This year ReAct is celebrating 15 years of action on antibiotic resistance. The story of ReAct started 15 years ago with a small group of people, many who are still with the network today. Here you find articles, a newly published report and webinar that we have produced to celebrate our 15 years of action on antibiotic resistance.
News
To initiate implementation of National Action Plans on AMR – through intervention research projects or other activities – is very challenging in low- and middle-income countries. This has become very clear in the dialogue that both ReAct and ICARS have had with countries in the African region. Now the two organizations are joining hands in a project focusing on this – the challenges to implement National Action Plans in low resources settings. Learn more about the collaboration and its 7 objectives to move from words into action.
ReAct Interview
Dr Meenakshi Gautham is a Research Fellow at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She is currently leading a study to design a One Health Antibiotic Stewardship Intervention in community settings in rural India. In the project she is working with informal health providers and para-vets, the formal public health and veterinary health systems, the pharmaceutical industry and rural communities.
News
In March 2021, over 600 participants from 72 countries convened to discuss antimicrobial resistance and behavioral change at Uppsala Health Summit. The digital meeting was an opportunity for deep reflection and dialogue on how we should approach the antimicrobial resistance crisis with a greater focus on the social and behavioral factors that drive it.
Insights and recommendations from the workshops have been compiled into 8 short briefs. The 8 briefs, compiled into a full report, will be launched in a webinar on 8 September.
ReAct was part of the Programme Committee, presented, took part in several of the workshop discussions and co-organized a workshop on communication.
THEME
Antibiotic resistance is one of the most pressing public health problems of our time. It causes hundreds of thousands of deaths each year, affects many people’s livelihoods and is threatening to undo the advances of modern medicine. Without effective antibiotics, it would for example be too risky to conduct organ transplants, routine surgical procedures and cancer chemotherapy. Global development would also be severely affected.
REPORT
The new ReAct report “Ensuring sustainable access to effective antibiotics for everyone, everywhere – How to address the global crisis in antibiotic Research and Development” includes a comprehensive summary and critical evaluation of recent initiatives to overcome the barriers to achieve sustainable access to antibiotics.
As antibiotic resistance will continue to develop as long as we depend on these medicines to treat bacterial infections, a continuous supply of new effective antibiotics is needed.
Film and report
Life-threatening infections in children are becoming untreatable. ReAct releases a short film and a global survey to get the attention from leaders in governments, from donors and from professional societies and civil society. The film portrays how children’s lives are at risk due to the threat of antibiotic resistance. The message from the survey is clear – physicians across the globe are worried about losing the very drugs that can save these children’s lives. Leaders need to act now. See ReAct’s asks of governments, donors, professional societies, and civil society.
Theme
ReAct articles relating to COVID-19 and antibiotic resistance.
The ReAct Toolbox is a user-friendly web-based resource that provides inspiration and guidance to take action and develop national action plans on antibiotic resistance. It is built on what has been done in the past in a variety of settings, and is aligned with ongoing and current initiatives from across the globe.
ReAct is a global network of antibiotic resistance experts with nodes in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America.
In the last 70 years the use of antibiotics has been crucial in improving countless lives and drastically reducing deaths caused by bacterial infections. The increasing development of antibiotic resistance is posing a serious threat to human health and development, the environment and for animal health. Learn more about ReAct’s work on antibiotic resistance here.
Involved in developing and implementing your country's National Action Plan on AMR? Here you find support tools and inspiration.
Engagement from civil society organizations and communities is needed to tackle antibiotic resistance. Learn more about how to get involved.
Globally coordinated governance on antimicrobial resistance - to ensures a sustainable response that takes into account the conditions for LMICs
A public health driven and end-to-end approach to innovation that enables sustainable access to effective antibiotics in LMICs