Urgent Call For Global Investment In Innovative Medicine To Combat Antibiotic Resistance
In New York, Minister for Health and Active Aging Jo Etienne Abela made an intervention during a United Nations meeting on AMR (antimicrobial resistance), where he emphasised the importance of increasing investment in innovative medicine.
AMR is one of the main topics being discussed in New York, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. AMR is the result of antibiotic misuse, both by humans and in the veterinary sector. This leads to microbes no longer being susceptible to traditional treatments, with negative outcomes for patients. It has also been found that this problem is intensifying in war-torn areas.
“As I speak, every three minutes, two people die due to microbes resistant to antibiotics. Malta has long recognised that this is a serious global problem and much work is being done in this regard through an action and implementation plan, where we have also increased the number of specialist consultants in the field,” Minister Abela stated.
The Minister also stressed that, instead of investing in new armaments, larger countries should use these funds to improve the supply of food and clean water in less developed nations. He also underscored the need for a stronger effort in research into new antibiotics, which could save thousands of lives every day.
Minister Abela explained how Malta has worked together with Barbados to achieve several goals in this regard in the coming years.
“If there is no suitable treatment and medicine that can meet patients’ needs, we will continue to see people suffer and lose their lives due to diseases that, until a few years ago, were considered trivial. It is important that together, in a global effort, we fight this condition which has the potential to kill millions,” concluded Minister Abela.