This is an initiative led by the Pan American Health Organization and REACT Latin America in collaboration with South Centre, that aims at providing a regional platform for open and diverse dialogue on the importance of empowering communities to ensure they play their important role in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within the One Health multi-sectoral approach.

To empower oneself is

“To promote the participation, exchange of knowledge, collective will, and creativity in decision-making and action in response to AMR by adopting strategies that integrate values, community wisdom, scientific evidence, and innovation within the framework of the One Health approach.”

This dialogue involving civil society, non-governmental organizations, academics, international organizations, and governments seeks to capture, share, and learn from the experience of different communities in infection prevention and control and the appropriate use of antimicrobials and draw relevant lessons on how to better engage communities and enable their active participation in addressing AMR.

The community, civil society, and every individual are essential to identify the factors and behaviors that lead to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), as well as to define and implement actions to contain it. Their voices and mobilization, stemming from their concern over the impact of AMR on the health of people, animals, plants, and the environment, are the drivers of the political commitment of leaders. We must listen to the voice of the communities: without their support and commitment it will not be possible to preserve antimicrobials for future generations”.

Dr. Pilar Ramon-Pardo, Coordinator of the Special Program on Antimicrobial Resistance, Pan American Health Organization.