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Our views 14 October 2024

Antimicrobial resistance among the top 10 threats for global health. Can water utilities help?

10 min read

Water utilities have the potential to play a key role in decreasing the negative impact linked to antimicrobial resistance.

It has been found that up to 80% of antibiotics consumed by humans are excreted without being metabolised, entering the environment and contributing to the development of resistant bacteria.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a process described by the World Health Organisation (WHO) where “bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines”

The WHO listed AMR among the top 10 threats for global health estimating that 10 million lives could be lost globally each year by 2050.

Wastewater is recognised as a significant contributor to AMR. It serves as a convergence point for various sources, including agricultural run-off, pharmaceutical manufacturing discharge, domestic outflows and hospital effluents, meaning water ends up as the place where antibiotic discharge and microbes gather.

“This is an important issue that investors like Royal London Asset Management can have an influence in protecting public health.”

Can water utilities help? We are committed to further exploring this issue and to continue engaging with water companies and talking to relevant scientific organisations to ensure the adoption of best practice.

Read in full: Antimicrobial resistance - can water utilities help?

 

Investor Action on AMR (IAAMR)

Royal London Asset Management is pleased to have signed the Investor Action on AMR (IAAMR)’s Public Investor Statement, which calls for global action to combat Drug Resistance.

The IAAMR initiative, founded by the FAIRR Initiative, the Access to Medicine Foundation, and the UK Department for Health and Social Care, has launched the Statement to urge world leaders and policymakers to intensify efforts, coordinate action, and reaffirm commitments to tackle AMR. This comes in advance of the UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AMR in September 2024.

Review the Statement here Find out more about IAAMR

This is a financial promotion and is not investment advice. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The value of investments and any income from them may go down as well as up and is not guaranteed. Investors may not get back the amount invested. The views expressed are those of the author at the date of publication unless otherwise indicated, which are subject to change, and is not investment advice.