Ensuring progress on sustainable access to effective antibiotics at the 2024 UN General Assembly: a target-based approach

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health crisis affecting countries of all economic levels, threatening development goals like child survival, healthy ageing, poverty reduction, and food security. To preserve antimicrobial effectiveness, political will, targets, accountability frameworks, and funding are needed. The UN General Assembly’s second high-level meeting on AMR in 2024 is evidence of political interest in addressing the problem. The authors propose ambitious global targets for 2030, including a 10% reduction in AMR mortality, a 20% reduction in inappropriate human antibiotic use, and a 30% reduction in inappropriate animal antibiotic use. These goals should be met within a universal access to effective antibiotics, using the WHO Access, Watch, Reserve (AWARE) system. Improved infection prevention, clean water, sanitation, and vaccination coverage can offset the selection effects of increased antibiotic use in low-income settings.