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The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is recognised as a major threat to global health. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) do not explicitly address AMR, but many of the targets within the goals depend on effective therapy for infectious diseases. Notably, these include targets 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and 3.8, relating to the reduction of early life mortality, eradicating ongoing epidemics including AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and achieving universal health coverage, as well as targets relating to poverty, malnourishment, and education [1]. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognised the outstanding importance of AMR by passing a Global Action Plan in 2015 and declaring AMR a global priority [2]. However, the WHO Global Action Plan on AMR mentions children only twice and to date includes no specific objectives or action points focusing
on child health.
Declaration
The risk of acquiring and dying from infectious diseases is highest for neonates and children. The presentation and
management of infections also differ between children and adults, so that programs aiming to control and reduce AMR in adults may not be equally effective in children. World Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases (WSPID) calls upon global and national leaders and decision makers to recognise the distinctive nature and key importance of the impact of AMR in neonates and children. We propose that immediate action is needed to prevent a deterioration in
global child health that could reverse much of the progress made in recent decades. WSPID recommends that WHO consider specific strategies to combat AMR in neonates and children and routinely include neonatal and child-specific surveillance in the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS), or to establish independent Surveillance System specially for neonatal and child. WSPID pledges to take action on the following points
which are in line with the objectives of the 2015 WHO Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance and urges others to follow.