RIYADH: The fourth high-level Global Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance kicked off in Jeddah on Thursday under the theme “From declaration to implementation – accelerating actions through multi-sectoral partnerships for the containment of AMR.” The three-day conference, being held under the patronage of the Ministry of Health, includes ministers of health, environment and agriculture from various countries, besides the participation of a number of heads of international organizations such as the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health, and non-governmental organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in a move to enhance international efforts to confront the escalating challenges associated with antimicrobial resistance, which has become a threat to global health. Saudi Minister of Health Fahd Al-Jalajel stressed that the conference is an opportunity for the international community to commit to a unified roadmap and set clear guidelines that will help address the increasing drug resistance in humans and animals. Antimicrobial resistance poses a threat to all age groups, as it affects human, animal and plant health, as well as the environment and food security. To curb the spread of antimicrobial resistance, the minister explained that we must adopt a comprehensive approach that systematically addresses the challenges that hinder progress, including sharing best practices, innovative financing initiatives, and developing new tools to combat antimicrobial resistance, stressing that the meeting is a vital opportunity to strengthen our collective global response to the risks of this growing “silent epidemic.” Director General of the World Health Organization Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that antimicrobial resistance is not a future threat but a present one, making many of the antibiotics and other medicines we rely on less effective, and routine infections more difficult to treat. He praised Saudi leadership in hosting the conference, stressing that the world must work together across a range of sectors, health, environment and agriculture, to stop the spread of antimicrobial resistance. He pointed out that the Jeddah meeting will help coordinate global efforts across diverse ecosystems, including human, animal and agricultural health, in addition to protecting the environment. A number of countries have already 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 in a bid to slow resistance.