– AMR looms as one of the foremost global health challenges of our time, and it demands a unified, international response, says Professor Fernanda Petersen.
She is the leader of RESISFORCE, which is a Norwegian-Indian-Brazilian-Canadian-American consortium and together with NORSE, these two networks were the organizers of this international meeting at Domus Bibliotheca.
The elegant combination of high-impact multidisciplinary science, presentations of national strategies, performance of American Dixieland jazz, Brazilian Bossanova, Traditional Indian dance and music, as well as Norwegian folk songs underscored the title of the symposium: Antimicrobial resistance: A challenge that crosses borders (full program).
– It is impossible to fight AMR alone, continues Petersen. Our approach must be global in scope. Central to our strategy is the imperative to educate and share knowledge on a global scale. Being present in a room bursting with knowledge and enthusiasm from people from all parts of the world, makes me both humble and hopeful for the future, says Petersen.
The repercussions of AMR reach far beyond individual health concerns. They permeate the very fabric of public health, modern healthcare systems, agriculture, animal welfare, political landscapes, societies, and diverse cultures.
With this insight, it was addressed by the speakers, that AMR is not just a consequence of overuse and wrong use, but is also driven by poverty and inequality, and our inability to take care of nature and climate in a sustainable way.
– Failing in this endeavor would disproportionately affect the most vulnerable among us, and at the same time, also acknowledge that many people already experience the silent pandemic of AMR, says Petersen. AMR has claimed more lives than covid-19 did during the worst periods of the coronavirus pandemic. She also adds that medical procedures we take for granted today, rely on effective antibiotics. So antibiotics are important to modern medicine far beyond the treatment of infections.
On the global stage, universities occupy a unique position in addressing this crisis.
– We possess the tools, expertise, and, most crucially, the platform for collaborative efforts and knowledge sharing, as both REISIFORCE and NORSE are examples of, says Petersen.
The two networks include disciplines within microbiology, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, mathematical modelling, social sciences, public health, veterinary health, environmental health and virtual reality.
While research and development play pivotal roles, we must not underestimate the transformative power of education and student and research exchange. In this battle, enlightenment holds as much potency as medicine.
– In conclusion, says Petersen. This meeting is not just a reflection of our shared commitment to tackling AMR, it embodies our collective aspiration for a future where collaboration transcends geopolitical, cultural and socio-economic boundaries and borders.
