Muscat [Oman], November 25 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Health, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar on Thursday highlighted that Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) is a silent and invisible pandemic and said that AMR should be recognized as a global health threat at the third global high-level conference held in Muscat, Oman.

Speaking at the event, she said, "AMR is a silent and invisible pandemic that cannot be overshadowed by other competing public health priorities."Emphasizing the prevalence of AMR and its subsequent fatal effects, she highlighted that AMR is recognized as a global health threat with serious health, political and economic implications and reiterated the need for acquiring political support at the national, regional and global levels, read the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare press release.

22 participants from more than 15 countries attended the conference. The event witnessed the launch of the Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform on AMR by the Quadripartite Organizations.

Also present on this occasion were Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, Qu Dongyu, Director-General of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Dr Hilal Al Sabti, Minister of Health of Sultanate of Oman, Saoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries Wealth and Water resources of Sultanate of Oman, and Ernst Kuipers, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sports, Netherlands, and other dignitaries also attended the event.

She highlighted that AMR is recognized as a global health threat with serious health, political and economic implications, said the release.

Pawar congratulated the UN General Assembly, World Health Organization (WHO) and member states on their focus on AMR, and said, "It is heartening to note that AMR has already been prioritized by UN General Assembly, WHO and member states" and also praised the aligned efforts by Quadripartite Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), WHO, World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) and UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

Focusing on the steps taken by India in battling AMR, MoS Health stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, various initiatives have been taken to address AMR.

India organized an AMR conference in 2016 in New Delhi. She highlighted that countering AMR features prominently on the national health agenda and further mentioned that various initiatives undertaken by way of awareness and capacity building, laboratory strengthening, surveillance, infection prevention and control, antimicrobial stewardship and research on newer drugs, diagnostics and innovations have garnered political will at the highest level, read the release.

MoS Health accentuated the collaboration of Health Ministers of 11 Member States that had signed the Jaipur Declaration on AMR in 2011, signifying their commitment and political support towards the One Health approach for the containment of AMR.

Dr Pawar also propelled further action to synergize the momentum initiated by Global AMR Conference presently and the upcoming high-level meeting on AMR at the United Nations General Assembly in 2024, which will strengthen the political support at all levels, added the release. (ANI)