By Salawati Haji Yahya –
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, NOV 20 – Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical public health situation where infections no longer respond to antimicrobial treatment. This is already happening in all types of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, and is happening at a rapid rate.
Taking that into account, AMR becomes a complex challenge to the overall sustainable development of the world that affects not only the current progress in terms of human health, but also other sectors such as food well-being and safety, economic development, equity and environmental conditions are also vulnerable. This year’s World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) carries a theme Educate. Supporting. Act Now which includes a holistic and progressive approach to AMR.
This global campaign which is celebrated every year from 18 to 24 November is solely to raise awareness about AMR as an urgent global health issue with wide socio-economic impact and affects us all.
The message in conjunction with WAAW 2024 was delivered by the Minister of Health, Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohammad Isham bin Haji Jaafar; Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, the Honorable Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin; and the Minister of Development, the Honorable Dato Seri Setia Haji Muhammad Juanda bin Haji Sbdul Rashid.
In 2024, a comprehensive assessment study for the first time was carried out on the universal burden of AMR from 1990 to 2021, that is, Global Burden of Bacterial Antimicrobial Resistance 1990-2021: A Systematic Analysis with Forecasts to 2050 have studied 22 pathogens, 84 pathogen-antimicrobial drug combinations and 11 infectious syndromes in 204 countries and regions. The study found that based on time trend analysis, an estimated 1.91 million deaths were due to AMR.
Meanwhile, an estimated 8.22 million deaths associated with AMR will occur worldwide in 2050.
This year’s Global Leaders Group report on AMR emphasizes that without more proactive action, AMR is expected to reduce life expectancy by 1.8 years by 2035, and will lead to unprecedented health expenditures and economic losses. This year’s World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week campaign has already followed the High-Level Meeting on AMR at the United Nations General Assembly 2024 in September 2024.
It confirms the global commitment to address AMR with a multi-sectoral approach as AMR continues to spread and threaten all levels across human, animal and plant health and environmental sectors.
Brunei Darussalam has actively participated in the global movement to deal with AMR at the national level. One Health Approach, or One Health, through the formation of the Brunei Darussalam Antimicrobial Resistance Committee in 2018, now consisting of collaborative membership Quadripartite namely the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism and the Ministry of Development.
In line with the Global Action Plan for AMR, BDAMRC has endorsed its first National Action Plan (NAP) for AMR in 2019.
Brunei Darussalam is not alone in the challenge of implementing actions to deal with AMR. In 2023, only 27 percent of countries worldwide reported having effectively implemented their national action plans.
BDMARC is now moving forward in drafting the next NAP, and this is timely and this year, all Quadripartite member organizations have now published specific priorities and sector specific actions.
The campaign organized by BDAMRC is used as a platform to educate and empower in line with this year’s theme, with the principle of universal health security Prevention, Impact and Response.
This campaign takes the opportunity to interact with the public and stakeholders in providing understanding about AMR and issues related to it.
In addition to conducting interviews through television and radio, broadcasting public health messages of various sectors in the approach One Health through official social media platforms and hold roadshows for a complete experience with interaction opportunities between stakeholders and the public.
Continuous action needs to be implemented and continued at all levels and across sectors, in line with global and regional recommendations and targets as an investment that has a positive impact on our future.