Stopping the Grand Pandemic: A Framework for Action - Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance through World Bank Operations

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health security and development challenge that poses a threat to public health and economic prosperity. It is a challenge that is often overlooked. As antimicrobials have become part of the infrastructure of modern society, it has become all too easy to take them for granted; but their longevity is under threat. Antimicrobials and antibiotics are widely used for health, industrial, and agricultural purposes. In health care, they are inextricably linked to the advances in modern public health that societies have witnessed in recent decades. They have become a go-to medication for a variety of infections, from strep throat to sepsis. They have also become essential to agricultural and food systems and are used in crop and livestock management. Nevertheless, inappropriate use of antimicrobials threatens their sustainability, and the devastating impact of this development, in which the drugs we know and rely on cease to work, is already emerging. In the face of this challenge, the World Bank stands ready to support governments in designing and implementing approaches to preserve antimicrobials with financing and technical assistance. This Framework for Action (Framework) aims to support World Bank task teams and clients in designing interventions that address AMR, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which stand to be disproportionately impacted. This Framework outlines 20 intervention areas across the health, agriculture, and water sectors that can serve as starting points for discussions to develop sustainable systems addressing AMR at the national and regional levels. Tackling AMR is crucial to achieving universal health coverage, promoting good health, and attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To the challenge of addressing AMR, the World Bank brings operational expertise, finance, and the ability to mobilize additional resources for multisectoral programs through its operations and technical support.