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ReAct drives global progress on antibiotic resistance through multi-level engagement in 2024

In a year marked by unprecedented attention to antibiotic resistance and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), ReAct was confirmed as a key player in shaping global policy and mobilizing action at multiple levels during 2024. The ReAct network made significant strides in high-level advocacy, regional mobilization, community engagement, and strategic communications, while successfully bringing new actors and voices into the AMR space, particularly youth groups and sectors beyond human health.

ReAct highlights from World AMR Awareness Week 2024!

In World AMR Awareness Week 2024, ReAct launched initiatives for stronger action on antibiotic resistance by raising awareness, promoting responsible antibiotic use, and inspiring action across healthcare, agriculture, and communities. Highlighting the urgent need for global action, ReAct also joined WHO’s “Go Blue for AMR” campaign.cExplore ReAct’s activities below, starting with key highlights.

Tackling disparities in global AMR representation

As the year ends, it’s time to reflect on the outcomes of the September 2024 UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in New York. While the Political Declaration advanced the agenda, the From People to Leaders: Act on AMR NOW! event highlighted structural inequities in representation, especially for low- and middle-income countries. In response, ReAct Africa and MUSUHUM’s new survey and policy brief call for urgent action to center these countries’ voices in the global AMR response.

ReAct activities for World AMR Awareness Week 2024

In recognition of World AMR Awareness Week 2024, ReAct presents a series of initiatives to address antibiotic resistance worldwide. These efforts are designed to raise awareness, encourage responsible antibiotic use, and inspire action across healthcare, agriculture and community sectors. Through global collaboration, ReAct highlights the urgent need for strong and robust action on antibiotic resistance to preserve the effectiveness of life-saving antibiotics. ReAct also joins the World Health Organization “Go-blue for AMR” campaign. You can find all ReAct World AMR Awareness Week activities below.

ReAct attending the 4th Ministerial conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

ReAct will be presenting on several occasions during the 4th Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from November 14-16, 2024, where focus will be on how to implement the many commitments made by governments in the High-Level Meeting political declaration adopted at the United Nations General Assembly in September. On the side of the Ministerial conference the second convening of the Multi-stakeholder Partnership Platform will also take place, where ReAct is participating as part of the civil society cluster.

Join Empowered Communities webinar 22 November!

Join ReAct Latin America and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and many more partners in the region on Friday, November 22, as part of the World AMR Awareness Week 2024 celebrations, for a regional webinar highlighting inspiring activities from various countries under the Empowered Communities to Address Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) initiative. In this event we will explore how communities are actively contributing to the fight against AMR through education, advocacy and concrete actions. This is an excellent opportunity to learn from the Latin America region’s efforts, exchange ideas and strengthen collaboration to address AMR.

Reflections from the week of the UN High-Level Meeting on AMR in New York

The second UNGA High-Level Meeting on AMR in New York came with unprecedented attention and side-event activities, and left us with a declaration text that sets a target on reducing mortality by 2030 from antibiotic resistance, but without a fully credible pathway on how to achieve it. Here we offer our reflections from a week filled to the brim with events and discussions.

ReAct at UNGA in New York!

At the end of September, ReAct participated in the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in New York, emphasizing the urgent need for increased global collective action in a number of areas.

From People to Leaders: Almost 200 signatures from communities and civil society groups handed to leaders at UNGA in New York!

The People to Leaders: Act on AMR Now! campaign and its Call for Global Action has garnered significant support, with almost 730 signatures from more than 85 countries, including almost 200 signatures from community and civil society groups. On 24 September 2024, these signatures were presented at a United Nations General Assembly side event in New York, demonstrating the widespread concern and commitment to addressing this global health crisis.

Voices from communities and civil society groups on AMR

A new global movement has emerged, uniting communities, civil society and health care professionals. It is the global campaign From People to Leaders: Act on AMR NOW!

During the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AMR in New York in September 2024, the global campaign From People to Leaders: Act on AMR NOW! presented world leaders with over 700 signatures. Nearly 200 of these signatures came from communities and civil society groups.

Zambia moves to strengthen legislative role in addressing AMR

The Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI), through its Antimicrobial Resistance Coordinating Committee (AMRCC) in collaboration with ReAct, recently held a landmark meeting with 15 members of Parliamentary representing committees on health and agriculture. The meeting aimed to strengthen Zambia’s response to the growing threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), building on the outcomes of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AMR held in New York in September.

From People to Leaders Supporter: The RBA Initiative calls for global action on AMR: "We must leave no one behind"

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health crisis that threatens to undermine decades of medical progress. As the effectiveness of our current antibiotics wanes, we face a future where common infections could once again become deadly. The From People to Leaders: Act on AMR now campaign and its Call for Global Action represent a crucial step in mobilizing world leaders and communities to address this pressing issue.

Here in this interview Erick Venant, Founder of Roll Back Antimicrobial Resistance Initiative (RBA Initiative), a non-governmental organization in Tanzania explains why his organization has joined the campaign and signed the Call for Global Action.

Key takeaways from LMIC roundtable on global governance on antibiotic resistance

On July 2-3 ReAct held the roundtable discussion titled “Improving the future governance of the global response to antibiotic resistance” in Uppsala at the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation for a small group of experts and representatives from low- and middle-income countries.

Forum on Living land, food and antimicrobial resistance launched in Guatemala City

ReAct Latin America organized a meeting on 16 October that brought together experts from Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador and Guatemala on the occasion of World Food Day, to engage the medical, veterinary, agricultural, community, nursing and education sectors in dialogue about bacterial resistance to antibiotics under the One Health approach.

Support from 97 communities & civil society groups! WaterAid is one of them!

As the world grapples with the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a powerful coalition of communities and civil society groups is making its voice heard.

The campaign “From People to Leaders: Act on AMR NOW!” spearheaded by ReAct and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is gaining momentum ahead of the crucial High-Level Meeting on AMR at the United Nations General Assembly in New York this September.

As of today, the call has garnered 362 signatures, with an impressive 97 communities and civil society groups lending their support!

New ReAct Report: Community engagement and AMR: Insights from the Asia Pacific Region

As the world grapples with complex health issues like antimicrobial resistance (AMR), there’s growing recognition that top-down approaches alone are insufficient.

A new report by ReAct Asia Pacific highlights the critical role of community engagement in addressing these challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The report is based on a preliminary desktop review of selected literature and interviews with civil society organizations and researchers working on community engagement in health and antimicrobial resistance.

World Microbiome Day 2024: Dialogue on alternative to war metaphor in medicine

ReAct Latin America and the Reimagining Resistance Group have announce an international dialogue on 27 June titled “Dancing with our friends, bacteria, to the rhythm of science, art, life” to mark World Microbiome Day 2024.

The event aims to challenge the traditional “war metaphor” used to describe human-microbe relationships and promote a more nuanced understanding of microbial life.

The event will be held in Spanish and English. It will also be recorded for access after the event (on same page).

ReAct Asia Pacific engages students and teachers in the fight against antibiotic resistance

In a proactive effort to combat the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, ReAct Asia Pacific recently conducted a highly successful session at BM Gange Girls Senior Secondary School in Delhi. The initiative aimed to educate and empower nearly 200 students and 10 teachers about the importance of responsible antibiotic use and the prevention of antibiotic resistance.

ReAct Africa and South Centre Conference 2024!

ReAct Africa and South Centre will co-host the 2024 regional AMR annual conference from 9th – 11th July, under the theme; Global Accountability for AMR response: Investing in priorities for Africa.

The conference will be hosted in partnership with International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS), Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP), AMR Policy Accelerator and support from The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the Fleming Fund, Wellcome Trust and the Ministry of Health Zambia through Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI). Click to register for online participation!

Reflections from a week where stakeholders took the stage in New York

A few days before the zero draft of the political declaration of the High-Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in September this year was released, stakeholders from around the world were invited to a hearing at the UN building in New York to share perspectives, expectations and recommendations. ReAct was represented both on a panel and from the floor by ReAct Africa Director, Professor Mirfin Mpundu, and ReAct Europe Director, Ms. Anna Sjöblom. Here we share our reflections on what the hearings offered and the dynamics around the process.

Engaging medical colleges in tackling AMR

ReAct's Impact Report 2023!

In 2023, ReAct made significant strides in advancing the fight against antibiotic resistance. We are proud to share ReAct annual impact report for work carried out in 2023. ReAct has grown into a dynamic network, intensifying our efforts to act stronger on antibiotic resistance on global, regional, and national scales.

Cancer, antimicrobial resistance and community engagement

Blog post by Satya: Satya Sivaraman, ReAct: As someone who has had family members and loved ones battle cancer, I personally know the devastating toll this disease can take. Cancer patients face so many challenges – from the physical and emotional toll of treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation, to the constant anxiety and fear that comes with such a serious diagnosis. But in the last decades, a growing threat has spread that poses an additional, urgent risk to cancer patients worldwide: antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

AMR or ABR – what is the confusion about?

More than 1.2 million deaths in 2019. This is perhaps the most widely quoted number in policy documents ahead of the forthcoming United Nations High-Level Meeting on AMR. The number is used to demonstrate the devastating impact of AMR globally today. There’s just one detail – it is not on AMR. It is on antibiotic resistance. This article outlines the difference between the two, and why in the context of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AMR it is important to start calling things by their right name.

ReAct Latin America shines spotlight on antibiotic resistance at People's Health Assembly

Mid-April, in a series of powerful and thought-provoking events at the People’s Health Assembly in Argentina, ReAct Latin America successfully brought the critical issue of antibiotic resistance to the forefront, emphasizing the need for a multi-sectoral approach to address this global health threat.

From people to leaders: Act on AMR NOW! Online launch of Call for Global Action!

Join the global campaign: From People to Leaders: Act on AMR NOW! to amplify the voices of communities and civil society in the global response to antimicrobial resistance. Listen and look at the recording of the online global launch and sign the Global Call for Action!

AMR must remain an important piece in the Pandemic Agreement puzzle

On the 18th of March 2024, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) resumed negotiations on the latest version of the Pandemic Agreement (previously referred to as a treaty, instrument or accord). At the time of writing, the INB negotiations are still ongoing in Geneva, where delegates are under pressure to finalize the agreement before the planned adoption at the 77th World Health Assembly in May.

ReAct Africa and LifeArc launch the ASPIRE initiative for stronger action on antimicrobial resistance

ReAct Africa, in partnership with self-funded medical research organisation and charity LifeArc, is excited to introduce a pioneering effort to address antimicrobial resistance with the launch of “ASPIRE” the Antibiotic Stewardship Programme through Innovation, Research, and Education. This ambitious US$1.5M 3-year project aims to transform how antibiotics are used in Zambia and Kenya by integrating innovative digital solutions with targeted interventions, in an effort to make long term policy and practice improvements.

Rocky start for the UN High-Level meeting on AMR

At the end of February ReAct’s Otto Cars and Helle Aagaard travelled to New York to meet a number of country UN missions, UN agencies and civil society actors to discuss ReAct’s United Nations High-Level Meeting on AMR Policy Brief. Here we share our key reflections from a week of conversations and discussions at the epicenter of global politics about the prospects for the forthcoming High-Level Meeting on AMR in September.

ReAct receives additional financial support from Sweden

2024-03-27

Today the Swedish government announced it will fund ReAct with almost 2 M SEK (188 000 US dollars) for its global work leading up to the UN high-level meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance in New York in September this year, and for ReAct’s work for equitable and sustainable access to effective antibiotics.

ReAct's Satya Sivaraman: Understanding communities needs is essential for any health intervention

Satya Sivaraman is the Communications Coordinator for ReAct Asia Pacific. He has been with ReAct since its inception in 2005 developing communication material, key messages and engaging civil society groups.
He says:

– In the case of antibiotic resistance the need for engaging communities is even greater than other health sectors because of the complex set of factors that drives the phenomenon of drug use and resistance.

UN High Level Meeting on AMR: Countdown begins

Preparatory work is currently underway for the one-day High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance planned this fall, convened by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The High-Level Meeting aims to secure strong political commitment and accelerated action across all sectors and at all levels to address the urgent threat of antimicrobial resistance.

ReAct's Mengying Ren: Perspectives of low- and middle-income countries are pivotal in shaping effective policies

Mengying Ren works as a Policy Advisor at ReAct Europe. She focuses on policy analysis and advocacy strategies around global governance and financing of antibiotic resistance. She says:

– Working at ReAct has taught me the pivotal role of low- and middle-income country perspectives in shaping effective policies.

ReAct expands its work!

2024 is a crucial year to mobilize for stronger action on antibiotic resistance and ReAct is proud to further expand its work this year. The network is initiating new collaborations at local, national and global level. The financial support from our donors makes this work possible!

Dr. S.S. Lal appointed new Director for ReAct Asia Pacific!

ReAct global leaders group is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr S.S. Lal as the new Director of ReAct Asia Pacific. Dr S.S. Lal is a renowned Indian public health expert with over three decades of experience working across Asia, Africa, Europe and the USA to strengthen health systems and expand access to quality healthcare. His multifaceted expertise, spanning medicine, program management, research and training, will be invaluable as ReAct expands its work across the Asia Pacific region.

World Cancer Day: Cancer communities can help making the UN High Level meeting on AMR a turning point

Cancer patients often undergo extensive treatments, including surgeries, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, which make them more susceptible to infections. Many cancer patients therefore rely on effective antibiotics to keep opportunistic infections at bay. On this World Cancer Day we invite cancer communities and organizations worldwide to join our call on governments to make the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AMR in September this year the turning point that is urgently needed in the global response to antibiotic resistance.

New Report: Impactful approaches for community-wide engagement on antibiotic resistance

In the fall of 2023, ReAct, Uppsala Antibiotic Center and Antibiotic Smart Sweden initiated a webinar and workshop series for promoting a systematic and meaningful engagement of communities and civil society groups as key stakeholders in the global response to antibiotic resistance. Now the collaboration releases a summary report from the initiative this far.

New ReAct Brief: Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest & most urgent cross-border health crises of our time – but still not addressed as such!

New ReAct briefing note out ahead of the UN General Assembly High-Level meeting on AMR in September, 2024.

3 questions to MSF: Antimicrobial resistance in the ongoing Gaza war

In the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the health care system has taken a very heavy toll, hospitals have been damaged or destroyed and remaining structures are operating far beyond capacity and with a big shortage of supply and staff. As in several other armed conflicts in the world, on top of already huge humanitarian needs, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is making the situation even more severe and complex.

ReAct Asia Pacific: Youth engagement in India

A workshop was held in Vellore, Tamil Nadu and was titled a ‘Dialogue meeting: Youth Leadership Program on AMR’. The workshop allowed students to listen to and interact with speakers from both medical, veterinary, environmental, and advocacy backgrounds. For this, students were asked to submit posters.

The results provided a range of interesting interventions to be adopted. The teams took the role of Youth Leaders in addressing the issue of antimicrobial resistance at the community level through innovative approaches.

Latin America Empowered Communities: One Health meeting with diverse and hopeful voices

During WAAW, ReAct Latin America, PAHO and South Centre hosted the “Empowered Communities Meeting Series to tackle AMR in Latin America and the Caribbean”.

The events harbored diverse voices with the aim of promoting a One Health perspective, providing participants with an opportunity to promote mobilization and action in favor of health.