Report of the inaugural meeting of the WHO Taskforce of AMR Survivors

Overview

WHO launched a task force of “survivors of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)” to provide a platform for the voices of people who experienced complications of drug-resistant infections. The members of the task force serve as “champions” to help in shaping the AMR narrative globally and to influence policies on AMR. They are also expected to contribute to improving messages about AMR to ensure that the “human face” of AMR is included to increase awareness of AMR. The task force is constituted of people who have survived AMR infections or have cared for people with serious drug-resistant infections. WHO believes that patients’ stories can make a complex, technical health and development challenge like AMR more human. The inaugural meeting of the WHO task force of AMR survivors was held on 10–11 October 2023 at WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

During the meeting, the taskforce members discussed ways to promote a human face in AMR awareness-raising, how to frame patient stories for the public and priorities for patient advocacy on AMR.