Zambia moves to strengthen legislative role in addressing AMR

2024-10-24

The Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI), through its Antimicrobial Resistance Coordinating Committee (AMRCC) in collaboration with ReAct, recently held a landmark meeting with 15 members of Parliamentary representing committees on health and agriculture. The meeting aimed to strengthen Zambia’s response to the growing threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), building on the outcomes of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AMR held in New York in September.

Parliamentarians play a crucial role in shaping global health diplomacy, particularly in addressing the pressing issue of AMR. By fostering dialogue with political leaders and supporting government efforts, they can help prioritize AMR on national agendas. Understanding their country’s AMR status both successes and challenges enables them to effectively advocate for stronger action.

Global health forums

Engaging in global health forums allows parliamentarians to elevate discussions, secure commitments from governments and stakeholders, and promote cross-sectoral collaborations across health, agriculture, and environmental sectors. Additionally, they can ensure that AMR is integrated into broader health and development strategies, emphasizing a One Health approach.

Engaging Zambia’s legislators in AMR mitigation

The key objective of the meeting was to engage Zambia’s legislators in AMR mitigation efforts by enhancing their capacity to :

• develop policies
• advocate for sustainable AMR initiatives and
• promote a One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, agriculture, and environmental sectors.

Recognizing the critical role of lawmakers in influencing national priorities, the parliamentarians emphasised the need for continuous awareness about AMR. They expressed a desire for more accessible and simplified information to communicate the urgency of AMR to their constituencies and fellow legislators.

Furthermore, the parliamentarians proposed the formation of a broader network beyond the health and agriculture committees to amplify their voices to address AMR both within Zambia and at the regional level.

“As policymakers, we stand on the frontlines of this challenge, and the actions we take or fail to take will have a profound impact on the future of healthcare and public health at large.”

Dr Christopher Kalila, Zambian Member of Parliament and Chair of the parliamentarians committee on health

The Ministry of Health in Zambia has been working to promote rational use of medicines countrywide, recognizing AMR as a significant challenge to public health.

“By orienting parliamentarians on rational medicine use, the Ministry can strengthen its response to this critical issue, ultimately saving lives, protecting public health and reduce cost on medicines budgets”.

Kandandu Chibosha. Chief Pharmacist – Rational Medicine Use, Ministry of Health Zambia.

“By building their capacity and fostering collaboration across sectors, we can ensure that AMR remains a national priority, driving policy change and resource allocation to protect the health of our people, animals, and environment.”

says Dr Joseph Chizimu, National AMR Focal Point Zambia

Next steps

The formation of a regional caucus of African parliamentarians was proposed to raise awareness and push for local funding to prioritize AMR mitigation across the continent.

This stakeholder meeting marks a significant step in galvanizing political will to tackle AMR, ensuring that policymakers have the tools and knowledge to advocate for necessary resources and legislative support in Zambia and beyond.

Dr Raphael Chanda, Acting Director, ReAct Africa, says:

“This meeting is a crucial step in empowering our lawmakers to take informed action against the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance”.