Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – greetings from Manila.
I am pleased to be speaking with you today, and would like to thank the Government of Japan for its continued support and leadership on the AMR agenda in the Region.
The Asia-Pacific One Health Initiative on AMR, or “ASPIRE,” which is supported by Japan, helps foster collaboration on this issue throughout the Region.
AMR is the future, which is already happening today. In other words, our actions today should address the challenges of the future. AMR does not recognize borders. That means the fight must be a global effort.
To guide our actions, our Region has placed AMR as a priority in the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases, and our Member States have endorsed the Framework for Accelerating Action to Fight Antimicrobial Resistance in the Western Pacific Region.
We have also launched Stewards for the Future: One Region One Movement, to call for solidarity against AMR. In doing so, we hope to promote the value of taking individual and collective action to protect one another.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen the vulnerability of our health systems, particularly in treating critically ill individuals. AMR complicates this situation even more. Research has shown that COVID-19 patients infected with secondary bacterial infection, especially AMR pathogens, have worse outcomes, leading to unnecessary deaths further burdening health systems.
However, with timely action and commitment, we can make progress. For example, some countries, such as Mongolia and Japan, have seen decreases in antimicrobial consumption over the years. By continuing to ensure appropriate use, we can conserve the effectiveness of our antimicrobials.
We have a long road ahead of us in our mission towards slowing the progression of AMR and protecting future generations. Let us begin by taking steps today.
We look forward to continuing to work with you to fight antimicrobial resistance.