News: Advocacy action

GHTC delivered the following statement, on the 72nd World Health Assembly (WHA) agenda item 11.8, follow-up to the high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on antimicrobial resistance, on May 6, 2019 at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) WHA stakeholder listening session:The Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC) applauds the USG for its commitments to tackling AMR and its call to mobilize other countries and stakeholders to take action through the CDC’s AMR Challenge. We applaud the recognition of the need for new products, including antimicrobial medicines, diagnostics and vaccines as part of an effective strategy to combat AMR, and we hope that the US delegation will continue its strong collaboration with WHO in follow up to the high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.Further investment is necessary to fight antimicrobial resistance across the globe, as we do not currently have the tools to adequately combat AMR. AMR threatens to roll back progress made against some of the leading killers of children by further complicating diagnosis and treatment of drug resistant strains of tuberculosis, pneumonia, malaria, typhoid, and diarrheal diseases, in addition to hospital-based infections. Innovation and R&D must be at the heart of any agenda to tackle AMR—as the incidence of AMR grows, so does the need for better diagnostics to detect, new drugs to treat, and effective vaccines to prevent emerging resistance.  GHTC encourages the US delegation and other member states to support enhanced cooperation at all levels for concrete action towards combating AMR, and mobilize sustained investments and resources for research and development on existing and new antimicrobial medicines, diagnostics, vaccines, and other technologies.We want to thank the US for taking an active role in the fight against AMR, and encourage the continued participation in global initiatives tackling this challenge. 

GHTC sent letters to the House appropriations subcommittees with jurisdiction over the US Agency for International Development and Department of State, Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of Defense, urging these subcommittees to sustain and protect global health R&D funding in the fiscal year 2020 (FY20) budget.

GHTC sent letters to the House appropriations subcommittees with jurisdiction over the US Agency for International Development and Department of State, Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of Defense, urging these subcommittees to sustain and protect global health R&D funding in the fiscal year 2020 (FY20) budget.