Addressing antimicrobial resistance: insights from the 2024 UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting and the role of pharmacists in South Africa
Abstract
On the 26th of September 2024 for the second time in history a high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was held during 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and has set ambitious targets.1
Just over half of surveyed healthcare workers reported successful local implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes (AMSPs) across healthcare settings.2 A recent scoping review of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) initiatives in South African hospitals revealed ongoing efforts across public and private sectors, a need for greater alignment with the National Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy (AMRS) and improved collaboration between these two sectors.2,3 AMR is when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to the antimicrobial (medicine), leaving the host vulnerable to a once treatable infection.
