ReAct at first Regional Meeting on AMR in Brasilia

2026-03-26

The first Regional Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) from 24-27 March in Brasilia, Brazil, represents a pivotal moment for integrating grassroots action into high-level policy in the region.
For ReAct Latin America the meeting, organized by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, is an opportunity to position the node's "Empowered Communities" initiative and Alforja Educativa as primary strategies for containing AMR from a One Health perspective.

Objectives for a “Whole-of-Society” response

The meeting in Brasilia aims to transition AMR response from top-down mandates to inclusive, sustainable public policies. Key objectives include:

Strategic Positioning: Recognizing the knowledge, innovation, and creativity of local communities as essential components of National Action Plans.

Sustainable Alliances: Building strategic partnerships to secure the financing and scalability needed for the Empowered Communities and Educational Saddlebag programs.

Roadmap Integration: Formally incorporating community-based strategies into the regional AMR roadmap for Latin America and the Caribbean.

A legacy of empowerment

ReAct Latin America brings 20 years of experience to this regional summit, championing the idea that AMR is a complex crisis that is linked to other equally complex crises such as climate change and water scarcity. To contain AMR and preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics, every person and community has a distinct role to play.

This approach aligns with the “leave no one behind” motto of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Declaration and the theme of the upcoming Ministerial Meeting in Nigeria, which seeks to translate global targets into local actions. People and communities must be involved and empowered in this process. ReAct Latin America has 20 years of experience working along these lines through various projects:

Successful initiatives to be showcased

Alforja Educativa

An artistic, open-access tool used since 2012 to educate students on antibiotic resistance. It has already reached over 7,000 children and 700 teachers across 10 countries in Latin America and Africa.

Empowered Communities

This is an initiative led by the Pan American Health Organization and ReAct Latin America in collaboration with South Centre, that aims at providing a regional platform for open and diverse dialogue on the importance of empowering communities to ensure they play their important role in the fight against AMR within the One Health multi-sectoral approach.

From the People to the Leaders Campaign

A historic “Call to Action” co-developed for the 2024 UN High-Level Meeting, receiving endorsements from 85 countries and over 200 civil society groups. This campaign was the first to unify the demands of global communities regarding AMR.

Lines of action in Brasilia

The strategy for the Brasilia meeting involves multi-sectoral advocacy and high-visibility engagement. A preparatory webinar, “The Regional Response to AMR: Challenges and Opportunities for Latin America and the Caribbean” did set the stage by exploring challenges and opportunities for the Caribbean and Latin America.

During the ministerial meeting, ReAct will host a dedicated stand, display the “Communities in Action” photo exhibition, and present five strategic points for the regional roadmap in alliance with the Health Diplomacy Alliance and Idec.