Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) has drawn significant attention as a public health and global health challenge and has been internationally discussed at European Union (EU) and G7 levels. In 2019, 4.95 million lives were lost due to the impact of AMR. If appropriate AMR countermeasures are not implemented, it is predicted that 39 million people will lose their lives over the next 25 years.

Furthermore, AMR is a complex challenge spanning human health, animal health, food production, and the environment, necessitating cross-sectoral collaboration among medical institutions, elderly care facilities, educational institutions, water, and sewage facilities, agricultural and aquacultural facilities, and other relevant sectors. It is imperative that countries, regions, and the international society work together to promote this interdisciplinary cooperation. However, these facilities are an integral part of citizens’ daily lives in the local community, and their activities reflect the unique characteristics of each community, including demographics, history, and local industries. Given this understanding, community and citizen-led approach to AMR are essential to advance our fight against AMR in a community-based manner, in collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders.

In line with the recognition above, Sweden has launched an inter-ministerial initiative named “Antibiotic Smart Sweden,” with multiple municipalities and regions participating to promote cross-sectoral collaboration in AMR countermeasures. With the support of various stakeholders, community and citizen-led approach to AMR are advancing, including surveys on AMR trends in sewage facilities and elderly care facilities, as well as awareness-raising activities in educational institutions.

In Japan, the significance of community and citizen-led AMR countermeasures is recognized, but specific AMR measures and budget allocations are largely at the discretion of local governments, resulting in varying levels of AMR countermeasures across local communities. At the same time, expectations for the role of local communities in infectious disease control, including AMR countermeasures, have increased, following the comprehensive revision of the “Government Action Plan for Pandemic Influenza and New Infectious Diseases.” At the global level, each country is now also encouraged to translate the vision of the international society into concrete practices at the local community level, considering the adoption of a political declaration on AMR at the high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on 26 September 2024. Guidance towards community-based, citizen-led AMR Countermeasures are urgently needed.

Thus, this meeting will focus on Sweden and Japan, who are leading the global fight against AMR as the EU presidency (first half of the year) and the G7 presidency in 2023. After an overview of Sweden’s AMR initiatives including Antibiotic Smart Sweden, case studies of community and citizen-led approach to AMR in both countries will be presented by local government. We aim to discuss and explore the opportunities and challenges of implementing community and citizen-led approach to AMR in expanded different locations and outline future perspectives.

[Event Overview]

• Date & Time: Friday, October 25, 2024; 18:00-20:00 JST
• Format: In-person *No online participation available
• Venue: Global Business Hub Tokyo, Grand Cube 3F, Otemachi Financial City, 1-9-2, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
• Language: Japanese and English (with simultaneous interpretation)
• Participation Fee: Free
• Host: Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI), AMR Alliance Japan
• Sponsored by: Scandinavia-Japan Sasakawa Foundation
• Capacity: 50

 

 

• Registration Deadline: Thursday, October 17, 2024
  Please click the “Please register here” button above and enter your name, e-mail address, and other required information.
  Those who register will receive a registration completion e-mail after submission. Please contact the Organization’s office by e-mail (info@hgpi.org) or phone (03-4243-7156) if you do not receive an e-mail.
  
  
• Notification of Selection: Notification will be sent by the end of Friday, October 18, 2024
  This event will be held in person only. Due to the limited number of seats available at the venue, HGPI will conduct a fair lottery process after receiving registration and notify those who are selected to attend the event.

 

[Program] (Titles omitted, listed in alphabetical order)

18:00-18:10 Opening Remarks

Ryoji Noritake (Chair, Health and Global Policy Institute)

18:10-18:20 Introductory Explanation

Yui Kohno (Manager, Health and Global Policy Institute/ AMR Alliance Japan)

18:20-18:40 Lecture 1 “Toward the Promotion of Transversal AMR Measures in the EU”

Patriq Fagerstedt (Senior Research Officer, Policy Advice Department, Swedish Research Council)

18:40-19:00 Lecture 2 “Antibiotic Smart Sweden – Collaboration between Ministries and Municipalities”

Camilla Björn (Antibiotic Smart Sweden/ RISE Research Institutes of Sweden)

19:00-19:50 Discussion “Towards Deployment of Community and Citizen-led Approach to AMR”

Speakers:
Camilla Björn (Antibiotic Smart Sweden/ RISE Research Institutes of Sweden)
Hirofumi Hirayama (Director, One Health General Promotion Division, Fukuoka Prefectural Government)
Lillan Fahlstedt (Public Health Strategist, Tanum Municipality)
Patriq Fagerstedt (Senior Research Officer, Policy Advice Department, Swedish Research Council)
Shogo Osaki (Manager, Community Medical Division, Health and Welfare Bureau, Himeji City)

19:50-20:00 Closing Remarks