As part of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the second High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) has led to a global commitment towards addressing AMR. The resulting political declaration includes a clear set of targets and activities, and the aim of reducing by 10%, by 2023, the estimated 4.95 million human deaths linked to AMR.
To advance this agenda, member states commit to "ensure, by 2030, that all countries have developed or updated and are implementing multisectoral national action plans on antimicrobial resistance". The National Action Plans (NAP) are comprehensive multisectoral strategies developed by countries to address the growing threat of AMR. These plans align with the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Action Plan on AMR and are tailored to each country's specific context, healthcare infrastructure, and resources.
To support the development, revision and implementation of NAPs, the WHO Evidence-informed Policy Network (EVIPNet) is implementing a project in partnership with the International Vaccine Institute's Regional AMR Data Analysis for Advocacy, Response, and Policy (RADAAR), and funding by the Fleming Fund. The EVIPNet RADAAR project aims to promote country capacities to translate AMR data and evidence into effective policies, with a focus on four countries: Bhutan, Ghana, Kenya and Lao PDR.
This project will enable countries to utilize several key tools from the EVIPNet approach. The process begins with conducting a priority-setting exercise on a pressing AMR problem for the country, followed by a thorough situation analysis , and culminates in developing an Evidence Brief for Policy (EBP) for each participating country. These EBPs will then be discussed in policy dialogues , with the insights disseminated through targeted advocacy efforts.
The overarching goal is for country teams not only to enhance their expertise in knowledge translation and evidence-informed policymaking but also to establish dedicated units for knowledge translation. These units will provide sustained support, facilitating the use of evidence in priority AMR policies and the effective implementation of NAPs specifically.
The project had its kick-off webinar on 10 October 2024, during which representatives from all countries were assembled. In the following week, on 17 October 2024, EVIPNet facilitated an online workshop on priority-setting. The first in-person workshop occurred in Bhutan, from 29 to 31 October 2024. Over the next few months, in-person workshops will also be hosted in Lao PDR, Ghana, and Kenya.
