News and Opinions  –  2018

ReAct Europe: 3 highlights in 2018

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2018-12-20

Ending 2018 ReAct Europe asked an expert group - how should urgently needed work on antimicrobial resistance be funded? This resulted in a new meeting report and the outcomes from the workshop will feed into the ongoing discussions on future global governance for antimicrobial resistance. The ReAct Toolbox, an online repository on antibiotic resistance, formed an international advisory group and held an expert workshop to improve content in the food animal section. During the yeare ReAct Europe contributed to multiple joint civil society statements, public consultations, policy dialogues, convenings and meetings to lift the voice of civil society and of low- and middle-income countries on the global policy scene.

Initiative for finding solutions on AMR funding

Participants at the expert meeting to discuss funding for the global crisis of antimicrobial resistance. Photo: Therese Holm, ReAct Europe.

In December 2018, ReAct and the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation hosted a meeting in Uppsala, Sweden, inviting around 20 experts in the field of antimicrobial resistance and global health, to discuss financing options for global action on antimicrobial resistance. The initiative was an early step in developing concrete proposals about how to fund AMR activities and identified areas for further work on funding AMR. The outcomes of the meeting –  a new meeting report – are feeding into the ongoing discussions on future global governance for antimicrobial resistance.

The report includes strong evidence from a number of low- and -middle income countries about the extreme difficulty in identifying funds for priority activities and human resources. It explored needed functions at global and country levels. In addition to global public goods functions, a role was identified for global catalytic funding to kick-start activities. It was also recognized that antimicrobial resistance funding should be integrated into existing programmes in antimicrobial resistance sensitive areas. The report has been well distributed and well received by a wide target audience including global and national antimicrobial resistance champions.

New meeting report – A planetary threat but a financing orphan
Meeting report on AMR funding needs – to stimulate dialogues and accelerate funding for AMR. The report, prepared by the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation and ReAct, further builds on contributions from meeting participants and processes and synthesizes the meeting discussions. Read full report: A planetary threat but a financing orphan.

ReAct Toolbox: New expert advisory group and content workshop with CGIAR network

Participants in the ReAct Toolbox workshop in collaboration with experts from CGIAR. Photo: Therese Holm, ReAct Europe.

To improve content and strengthen work on our Toolbox, ReAct established an expert advisory group and arranged a workshop with researchers from the CGIAR network.

The advisory group is composed of renowned experts from the antibiotic resistance field. They come from a variety of professional backgrounds and geographic locations, to reflect the diverse settings and work that ReAct is carrying out.

ReAct and the researchers from CGIAR worked together to identify existing resources and example case studies to inspire and facilitate action on antibiotic use and resistance in the farming sector. The CGIAR group contributed with their expertise within various areas related to animal health, infection prevention and antibiotic use and resistance. The workshop focused on providing tools and information for professionals working with farmers in low and middle-income countries.

During 2018 users from more than 200 countries visited the toolbox.

Action for policies on AMR

In 2018, ReAct Europe contributed to multiple joint civil society statements, public consultations, policy dialogues, convenings and meetings to lift the voice of civil society and of low- and middle-income countries on the global policy scene. Together with ReAct North America which leads the Antibiotic Resistance Coalition (ARC), ReAct Europe provided key input to joint ARC responses (1,2) to the public consultation on the UN IACG’s six discussion papers over the summer. In line with ongoing global discussions and IACG processes, ReAct also convened a one-day meeting in Uppsala in September with external experts to gather thoughts on needs and functions of global governance to inform ongoing deliberations on future global governance AMR. ReAct joined the teleconsultation with the WHO, FAO and OIE and made three interventions (part 1,2,3) at the Member States consultation on the Global Development and Stewardship Framework.

ReAct has been an active presence and valued voice at a variety of strategic meetings in Sweden, Europe and globally and was invited to many discussions including Sweden’s international work on global health to implement Agenda 2030.