G20 Health Ministers met in Mar del Plata, Argentina, on October 4 and reaffirmed the commitment to build consensus for sustainable development by considering health as one of the keys to achieving these goals worldwide.
Antimicrobial resistance, strengthening health systems and their responses to disasters, catastrophes and pandemics were key issues.
The OIE Strategy on antimicrobial resistance and the prudent use of antimicrobials, aligned with the WHO Global Plan of Action, recognizes the importance of a “One Health” approach that considers the needs of human health, animal health, agriculture and the environment. The strategy outlines the OIE’s objectives and Standards to support Member Countries in their fight against AMR and to promote national integration and implementation of national surveillance programmes.
Ministers highlighted the importance of the OIE database on antimicrobial use.
Ministers had the opportunity to work on a simulation exercise of antimicrobial resistance disease cases, where the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria was evident across multiple transmission routes, across sectors and across borders. The Exercise was very useful in increasing the importance of coordination at the national, regional and international levels during health crises.
The G20 recognized the critical contributions of FAO, OIE and WHO, through the tripartite cooperation of the three organizations in addressing zoonotic disease threats and improving animal health sector capacities and applying multisectoral “One Health” approaches to accelerate health security.
