Press Briefing, Thurs., 15 Sept.
What is “antimicrobial resistance” and why it affects us
What: Press briefing ahead of the UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance.
Who: Dr. Keiji Fukuda, Special Representative for Antimicrobial Resistance and Assistant Director-General, World Health Organization
When: Thursday, 15 September 2016, 11 a.m. EST
Where: S-237, UN Headquarters, New York or live through webtv.un.org
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Background:
Antimicrobial resistance is resistance of a microorganism to an antimicrobial drug that was originally effective for treatment of infections caused by it.
The use and misuse of antimicrobial drugs accelerates the emergence of drug-resistant strains. Poor infection control practices, inadequate sanitary conditions and inappropriate food-handling encourage the further spread of antimicrobial resistance.
New resistance mechanisms emerge and spread globally threatening our ability to treat common infectious diseases, resulting in death and disability of people who until recently could continue a normal course of life. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, every year around 500,000 people die from causes related to antimicrobial resistance.
The President of the General Assembly, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health will convene a High-Level Meeting to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance on 21 September at the UN Headquarters. This will be only the fourth such General Assembly event in the history to focus of the UN on a health issue.
More details available at: https://www.un.org/pga/70/events/high-level-meeting-on-antimicrobial-resistance/
For UN Media Accreditation, visit: www.un.org/en/media/accreditation
Press contact:
Ms. Devi Palanivelu, UN Department of Public Information, tel: 212-963-1104, email: palanivelu@un.org
Ms. Melanie Prudhomme, UN Department of Public Information, tel: 917-367-3541, email: prudhommem@un.org
Available for interviews:
Dr. Keiji Fukuda, Special Representative for Antimicrobial Resistance and Assistant Director-General, World Health Organization