The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Ministry of Health, is preparing to host the Fourth High-Level Global Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance, which will be held in Jeddah from November 14 to 16. It will gather more than 40 ministers of health, environment and agriculture sectors from various countries all over the world, besides the participation of a number of heads of international organizations, such as the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Organization for Animal Health, and non-governmental organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and others, in a move to enhance international efforts to confront the escalating challenges associated with antimicrobial resistance, which has become a threat to global health.
The Kingdom's hosting of this fourth high-level global conference is an extension of the Kingdom's pioneering role in the health field at the regional and international levels, and its efforts to confront current and future major global challenges in the context of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 by supporting and implementing global initiatives to confront health risks and challenges and contributing to promoting the One Health approach and supporting the health of peoples all over the world.
The conference aims to coordinate international efforts to support the One Health approach, find effective and sustainable solutions, and raise readiness and preparedness for antimicrobial resistance to achieve global health security and transform commitments into tangible practical steps. This international event will contribute to coordinating global efforts across various systems that include human, animal and agricultural health, in addition to protecting the environment.
The conference is a comprehensive platform that gathers all stakeholders, including governments, non-governmental organizations, scientists and policy makers, to pave the way for effective international cooperation against the threat of antimicrobial resistance, and to find sustainable solutions that contribute to reducing its impact on public health. The conference will raise several priority topics, including monitoring and supervision, capacity building, in addition to governance, innovation, research and development, and in support of the various international efforts to confront this growing challenge, and building on the agreements and pledges that have been achieved.
The Kingdom announced its intention to host the fourth edition of the conference in 2024, as an extension of its efforts to confront global health challenges, including antimicrobial resistance, as it poses a serious challenge to treating infections in humans and animals, and threatens gains and achievements in the fields of global health, food security, economic growth and development.
It is worth noting that bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a global challenge, as it causes antibiotics to be ineffective in treating diseases due to the development of bacteria and their resistance to these drugs, which has made a group of drugs ineffective over time. This challenge is due to the incorrect and excessive use of antibiotics, whether for humans, animals or plants. Therefore, a group of countries have resorted to imposing laws that prevent the dispensing of antibiotics in pharmacies without a prescription, and the use of antibiotics in animal farms such as poultry and livestock has been regulated.