The simplicity of '1-10-100 targets' to fight AMR makes it easy to communicate the crisis and necessary measures to communities, say panelists at online meet
Photo for representation: iStock A webinar hosted by AMR Policy Accelerator of the Global Strategy Lab at York University May 23, 2024 brought together experts to discuss strategies for combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing global threat. Moderated by Jeremy Knox, head of policy for Infectious Disease at the Wellcome Trust, the discussion emphasised the importance of setting unifying global targets to effectively address AMR.
The AMR Policy Accelerator is a programme which advises governments, public health institutions and policy makers globally on effective and equitable policies for the sustainable use of antimicrobials.
The AMR health crisis, driven by the increasing resistance of disease-causing pathogens to antimicrobials, claims approximately 1.3 million lives annually and poses significant threats to global health, food security, and economic stability.
AMR currently lacks clear unifying targets, unlike other global issues. The unifying global targets are specific, ambitious goals to raise attention and catalyse action on key global challenges. These targets provide a clear framework for coordinated action, helping to unite efforts across countries and sectors.
For instance, the Paris Agreement sets specific climate goals to limit global warming and UNAIDS’ 90-90-90 goals aim to control HIV / AIDS. Many international organisations are currently working to establish these targets to provide a coordinated and effective response to AMR.
The Bellagio Group for Accelerating AMR Action, a leading team of global health experts, policymakers and civil society representatives, gathered in Bellagio, Italy in April 2024 to define unified global targets for AMR.
These targets, called ‘1-10-100 targets’ are designed to serve three purposes: To unite technical AMR perspectives across all countries and sectors into an easily communicable framework, to act as a barometer of global progress through an action-oriented roadmap with concrete, sector-specific targets and to facilitate effective communication between heads of government and the public or journalists.
Sujith Chandy, executive director of the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance (ICARS), underlined the power of the ‘1-10-100 targets’ during the discussion. “Having a simple set of clear and memorable numbers like these are important for political understanding and dissemination. They provide a concise way to explain the issue to the media and the public, making AMR more easily understood,” he said.
Mathieu Poirier, co-director of the Global Strategy Lab, detailed these targets during the webinar discussion. The ‘1-10-100 targets’ refer to three major goals: One health, 10 million lives saved and 100 per cent sustainable access. For each goal, potential progress measures / indicators have been identified.
Through One Health, the goal is to unite to safeguard human health, animal welfare, agri-food systems and the environment from drug-resistant microbes.
Progress measures outlined for the approach include secure livelihoods through reductions in pathogen spread and sustained biodiversity through protected land and ocean areas.
The goal for the next target ‘10 Million Lives Saved’ is to reduce AMR-driven fatalities by 10 million by 2040 through combined efforts.
Progress measures outlined for this goal include enhanced vaccination programmes, improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, infection prevention and control as well as prevention of economic losses.
The aim of the ‘100 per cent sustainable access’ target is to ensure global availability and affordability of antimicrobials, promote their prudent use and secure for future.
Read more: Lack of access to antibiotics is a key driver of antimicrobial resistance
Greater access, enhanced conservation and more innovation are some of the progress measures chalked out for this target.
The primary advantage of the ‘1-10-100 targets’, Poirier highlighted, is their focus on prevention. “By promoting interventions like vaccinations, clean water, sanitation and hygiene, these targets not only help to sustain antimicrobial effectiveness but also prevent a wide range of infectious diseases. He added:
The benefits of the prevention-focused approach are most pronounced among low- and middle-income countries, newborns and children, older adults as well as marginalised communities. These groups often have to bear the biggest burden of diseases and have the least access to quality-assured antimicrobials.
Additionally, the ‘1-10-100 targets’ align with the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals and promote health equity. They advocate for a One Health approach, fostering collaboration across various sectors. Finally, these targets recognise the need for innovation in diagnostics and vaccines.
Masika Sophie, global health policy manager at the World Federation for Animals, stressed the importance of animal health in agri-food systems within the ‘1-10-100 targets’. “Prevention is key. It provides an opportunity for equity because you're preventing the challenge before it happens. And this is the foundation of this proposal,” she stated.
“From an animal health perspective, it means addressing the drivers of infectious diseases within the animal health sector and within the food systems. It means preventing diseases from occurring before we have to deal with them,” the expert noted.
The webinar also highlighted that the upcoming UN General Assembly High-level Meeting on AMR in September 2024 presents a crucial window to generate the necessary political and public support for global action on AMR.
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