Antimicrobial resistance, One Health, and climate change top of the agenda at G20 event in Brazil – PAHO/WHO

Natal, September 4, 2024 (PAHO/WHO) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently led a series of discussions on crucial health topics during a G20 health working group meeting from September 1-3 in Natal, Brazil, including the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the urgent need to address the impact of climate change on health, and the importance of investing in One Health strategies in the Region of the Americas.

The event focused primarily on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a major global threat that hampers the effective treatment of an increasing range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi, leading to prolonged illness and increased mortality. Globally, AMR costs around US$855 billion each year in increased healthcare costs and lost productivity, and claimed 1.3 million lives in 2019 alone.

While 165 countries around the world, including 26 in the Americas, have developed National Action Plans to address AMR, large-scale implementation has been slow, underscoring the need for more resources and renewed commitment.

However, in the region, 87% of PAHO member countries have established national action plans, which is higher than the global average. “The Americas are leading the fight against antimicrobial resistance, and PAHO’s strong leadership offers a model for other regions,” said Dr. Socorro Gross Galiano, PAHO representative in Brazil.

Dr. Gross also highlighted the importance of PAHO’s One Health approach, which fosters intersectoral collaboration to effectively address AMR, and highlighted PAHO’s upcoming participation in AMR discussions at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) high-level event in New York this September, where the organization will advocate for decisive international action against this global threat.

In a presentation at the session, Dr. Pilar Ramón-Pardo, Chief of PAHO’s Antimicrobial Resistance Program, acknowledged the significant progress made in the Americas but warned that persistent challenges, including limited national budgets and unequal access to health services and products, will continue to hinder progress until they are effectively addressed.

PAHO and the World Health Organization also co-organized the panel “Ending tuberculosis in the context of climate change: generating evidence to inform action.” During the event, panelists discussed how factors such as malnutrition, food insecurity, and deteriorating living conditions, all exacerbated by climate change, are making populations more susceptible to tuberculosis.

Underscoring the need for countries to mitigate the effects of climate change, particularly its potential to disrupt health services, Dr. Gross called for greater collaboration. “The G20 has the resources, research capabilities and best practices to bring us together in this latest, intensive effort to address these interconnected challenges,” she said.

The Group of Twenty (G20) is a forum for international economic cooperation comprising 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, and two regional organizations: the African Union and the European Union. The G20 presidency is currently held by the Brazilian government.