[Comment] Meeting the 2024 UN General Assembly declaration targets on antimicrobial resistance

AI Insight

At the 2024 UN General Assembly high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance, member countries unanimously adopted two measurable targets to be achieved by 2030: a 10% reduction in global mortality attributable to bacterial antimicrobial resistance compared to a 2019 baseline, and ensuring that at least 70% of human antibiotic use globally consists of Access-category antibiotics as defined by the WHO AWaRe framework. The AWaRe classification distinguishes antibiotics into Access, Watch, and Reserve categories based on their suitability as first-line treatments and their associated risk of contributing to resistance. These commitments represent a coordinated international policy response to the ongoing AMR crisis, which is considered one of the most serious threats to global public health.

Why it matters

These binding international targets create a framework of accountability for national governments to reform antibiotic prescribing practices and stewardship programs, which could slow the spread of drug-resistant infections that already cause hundreds of thousands of deaths annually. Progress toward these targets will require substantial investments in surveillance systems, healthcare infrastructure, and regulatory capacity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.