FDI and IADR joint statement on Item 5.8 Follow-up to the HLM on antimicrobial resistance (EB144/19)

I am speaking on behalf of FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) and the International Association for Dental Research (IADR). FDI is the official representative body of over one million dentists and IADR is the global leader in dental, oral and craniofacial research.

We welcome the Secretariat’s report which shows that countries are making significant but uneven progress on tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

It is very concerning that many countries have made slow headway on establishing multisectoral working groups to develop their AMR national action plans. We strongly urge governments to involve national dental associations (NDAs) when developing their AMR national action plans. As dentists prescribe up to 10% of all antibiotics used worldwide to treat oral infections, their involvement in reducing AMR is essential.

We also encourage governments to consult with NDAs when developing guidelines and prescribing policies on antibiotic use for dentists.

Dentists need to be aware of their responsibility in the fight against AMR. To address this, FDI has convened a group of oral health experts to develop a set of resources on AMR and stewardship in dentistry. FDI looks forward to sharing these resources with WHO and Member States in due time.

Although many countries have finalized or are developing their AMR national action plans, implementation remains a major challenge especially in low- and middle-resource settings due to scarce financial resources. We therefore request that funding mechanisms for the implementation of AMR national action plans are considered during the upcoming UNGA meeting this September.

We are pleased that the Tripartite joint workplan for 2019-2020 will address enhancing civil society participation and offer our support with its implementation.