Securing the future of health: ReAct Latin America and Idec propose a new regional strategy for the Americas

2026-03-25

Released in conjunction with the 1st Regional AMR Meeting in Brazil in March 2026, a new policy brief by ReAct Latin America and Idec (the Brazilian Institute for Consumer Defense) calls for a sustainable and inclusive roadmap to address the escalating threat of antibiotic resistance in the Americas.

The urgency of this convening is underscored by the region’s heavy burden; while the Americas saw approximately 150,000 deaths directly attributable to resistance in 2019, mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean is projected to reach 650,000 by 2050. The1st Regional AMR Meeting in Brazil represents a critical opportunity for the region to pivot from fragmented efforts toward a unified, community-engaged strategy.

Antibiotic resistance is a systemic global health challenge

The brief frames antibiotic resistance as a systemic issue that is both a cause and a consequence of failing systems, such as underfunded healthcare and intensive agriculture. It argues that resistance is accelerated by a “poly crisis” of deep inequities, environmental pollution, the climate crisis, and migration. To address this, the roadmap recommends structural changes that go beyond the medical field, linking AMR mitigation to the reduction of poverty and the promotion of sustainable food production systems.

One Health approach is central

A central theme of the proposal is the need for integrated, multi-sectoral data and a strong “One Health” approach. Currently, the data landscape in the region is fragmented; for instance, 45% of countries lack national surveillance for antimicrobial use in human health, and environmental data is almost non-existent. The brief advocates for incorporating the environmental dimension into all prevention and response strategies, prioritizing wastewater management and the regulation of industrial discharges alongside human and animal health sectors.

Communities and civil society co-creators of solutions

Finally, the brief emphasizes that communities and civil society must be treated as essential co-creators of solutions rather than passive recipients of policy. Ensuring equitable access to life-saving technologies is also a priority, with recommendations for technology transfer, know-how exchange, and Intellectual Property (IP) licensing to strengthen public production capacity within the region. By adopting these community-grounded and equity-driven actions, the roadmap aims to ensure that the response to AMR is both relevant and sustainable for the diverse realities of the Americas.