Health Commissioner awards Prize to NGOs active in reducing the threat of AMR
date: 06/02/2017
Moments ago, Vytenis Andriukaitis, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, awarded the EU Health Award for NGOs fighting Antimicrobial Resistance – a prize which aims to reward outstanding initiatives by NGOs which have significantly reduced the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to human health.
The €20,000 first prize was awarded to BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation, for their campaign "From Farm to You", which has raised awareness about the causes of AMR, such as overuse of antimicrobials in livestock and misuse and overuse of antibiotics in human medicine.
At the award ceremony hosted by the University of Leuven in Belgium, Commissioner Andriukaitis said: "We need to put initiatives which raise awareness of the growing threat of AMR in the spotlight. Averting this looming threat before it turns into a public health nightmare is my most pressing priority as Health Commissioner, and as a former doctor. I count on the continued help and commitment of organisations like BEUC."
The Commissioner awarded the second prize of €15,000 to Alliance to save our Antibiotics, Compassion in World Farming and the Soil Association for their campaign which aims to end the routine prophylactic mass-medication of farm animals.
He awarded the third prize of €10,000 to the World Alliance against Antibiotic Resistance for their campaign "Acting to Preserve Antibiotics" which aims to limit the surge and spread of multi-drug resistant pathogens.
About Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global threat. In the EU alone, AMR is responsible for 25 000 deaths and over €1.5 billion in healthcare costs and productivity losses annually. Given the severity of the issue, AMR has become a political priority within the EU. The European Commission has been committed to combatting antimicrobial resistance since 1999 and by summer 2017 it will launch a new Action Plan against AMR, based on the One-Health approach, which recognises that the health of people, of animals and of the environment are inextricably linked.
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