The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) and the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC) would like to respond to the flooding in Libya, the earthquake in Morocco – and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine – by expressing our solidarity with our colleagues and friends in the affected regions, and by reminding all relevant decisionmakers of the link between natural disaster, war, and the emergence and rapid spread of drug-resistant infections.
We call on Governments and NGOs, especially, to help develop the capacity to ensure timely and robust responses to such catastrophes by focusing on infection prevention and control measures, access to appropriate treatments, and stewardship protocols for the responsible use of those treatments.
Through our work with colleagues in Ukraine, the PDA and BSAC have come to understand just how little global coordination exists when it comes to containing and controlling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the face of sudden and large-scale devastation, a situation that is likely to compound tragedy and hamper recovery.
AMR poses one of the biggest threats to global health. Given that ‘bugs don’t respect borders’, it is in all of our interests to urgently improve the response to humanitarian crises – no matter where they unfold.
Learn more
- The serious threat of AMR and how the PDA is helping in Ukraine
- The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC)
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