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EXECUTIVE BOARD, 115TH SESSION
EB115.R6
Antimicrobial resistance: a threat to global health security
The Executive Board, Having considered the report on rational use of medicines by prescribers and patients;1 Acknowledging that the containment of antimicrobial resistance is a prerequisite for attaining several of the internationally agreed health-related goals contained in the United Nations Millennium Declaration; Recalling the recommendations of the Second International Conference on Improving Use of Medicines (Chiang Mai, Thailand, 2004); Recalling also the findings of WHO’s report on “Priority medicines for Europe and the world”,2 and the Copenhagen Recommendation from the European Union conference on “The Microbial Threat” (Copenhagen, 1998); RECOMMENDS to the Fifty-eighth World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution: The Fifty-eighth World Health Assembly, Having considered the report on rational use of medicines by prescribers and patients; Acknowledging that the containment of antimicrobial resistance is a prerequisite for attaining several of the internationally agreed health-related goals contained in the United Nations Millennium Declaration; Recalling the recommendations of the Second International Conference on Improving Use of Medicines (Chiang Mai, Thailand, 2004); Recalling also the findings of WHO’s report on “Priority medicines for Europe and the world”,1 and the Copenhagen Recommendation from the European Union conference on “The Microbial Threat” (Copenhagen, 1998); Aware that the spread of antimicrobial resistance recognizes no national boundaries and has reached proportions that require urgent action at national, regional and global levels, especially in view of the decreasing development of new antimicrobial agents; Recalling previous resolutions WHA39.27 and WHA47.13 on the rational use of drugs, WHA51.17 on antimicrobial resistance, and WHA54.14 on global health security; Recognizing the efforts of WHO in collaboration with governments, universities, the private sector and nongovernmental organizations to contain antimicrobial resistance, thereby contributing to prevention of the spread of infectious diseases;
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Document EB115/40. Document WHO/EDM/PAR/2004.7.
RESOLUTIONS AND DECISIONS
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Noting that, despite some progress, the strategy for containment of antimicrobial resistance has not been widely implemented; 1 Wishing to intensify efforts to contain antimicrobial resistance and to promote rational use of antimicrobial agents by providers and consumers in order to improve global health security; Re-emphasizing the need for a coherent, comprehensive and integrated national approach to promoting the containment of antimicrobial resistance; Convinced that it is time for governments, the health professions, civil society, the private sector and the international community to reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that sufficient investment is made to contain antimicrobial resistance, 1. URGES Member States: (1) to ensure the development of a coherent, comprehensive and integrated national approach to implementing the strategy for containment of antimicrobial resistance taking account, where appropriate, of financial and other incentives that might have a harmful impact on policies for prescribing and dispensing; (2) to consider strengthening their legislation on availability of medicines in general and of antimicrobial agents in particular; (3) to mobilize human and financial resources in order to minimize the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance, in particular by the promotion of the rational use of antimicrobial agents by providers and consumers; (4) to monitor regularly the use of antimicrobial agents and the level of antimicrobial resistance in all relevant sectors; (5) actively to share knowledge and experience on best practices in promoting the rational use of antimicrobial agents; 2. REQUESTS the Director-General: (1) to strengthen the leadership role of WHO in containing antimicrobial resistance;
(2) to accelerate the implementation of resolutions WHA51.17 and WHA54.14 concerning the containment of antimicrobial resistance by expanding and strengthening the provision of technical support to Member States, at their request; (3) to support other relevant programmes and partners in strengthening their efforts to promote the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents by scaling up interventions proven to be effective; (4) to support the sharing of knowledge and experience among stakeholders on the best ways to promote the rational use of antimicrobial agents; 1
Document WHO/CDS/CSR/DRS/2001.2.
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EXECUTIVE BOARD, 115TH SESSION
(5) to report to the Sixtieth World Health Assembly, and subsequently on a regular basis, on progress achieved, problems encountered and further actions proposed in implementing this resolution. (Tenth meeting, 22 January 2005)