Geneva, Switzerland – Unitaid welcomes the declaration made by the G20 Health Ministers in Berlin two days ago, which calls for an accelerated response to address global health risks, such as infectious disease outbreaks and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

“Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is the best example of how antimicrobial resistance can threaten the world,” said Lelio Marmora, Unitaid Executive Director. “Drug resistance threatens to reverse decades of progress in tackling the world’s top infectious diseases – TB, HIV and malaria. For this reason, new treatments and diagnostics are urgently needed to fight these strains.”

The G20 Health Ministers underscored the need to “reinvigorate research and development in science and industry for antimicrobials”. They also highlighted the importance of critical work by partners, such as Unitaid, the TB Alliance and Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), in the fight against AMR.

Unitaid has already invested close to US$ 500 million to tackle tuberculosis, and is currently supporting a project to increase access to shorter, simpler, safer and more affordable treatments for multidrug-resistant TB for those in need. Furthermore, Unitaid  launched yesterday a Call for Proposals to continue its commitment to work in this area, attracting new ideas to accelerate access to innovative treatment regimens and diagnostics for MDR-TB.

“Let us not forget that tackling MDR-TB head-on will make a big impact in tackling AMR as a whole,” said Mr Marmora.

To read the full text of the Berlin Declaration, click here.