Antimicrobial resistance – where bugs do not respond to the drugs we use to treat them - is a natural phenomenon that is accelerated through human actions. This escalating, global issue places millions of lives in jeopardy through limiting our ability to treat infections as well as putting global food security and agricultural livelihoods at risk. Mitigating this threat demands sustained action both nationally and internationally by all sectors.
In her talk, Dame Sally will discuss the complexity of AMR, the current and future impact is has, and the interventions that have already been taken and need to be taken to alleviate this threat.

Dame Sally was appointed Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England and Chief Medical Advisor to the UK Government in March 2011. Dame Sally is an independent advisor to the UK Government on medical matters, with particular responsibilities regarding Public Health.

Dame Sally advocates globally on AMR. She has spoken on AMR at numerous events including, the World Health Assembly side events, the G8 Science Ministers’ meeting in 2015, the Global Health Security Initiative in 2015, and the UN General Assembly side event in 2016. She was chair of the 2013 AMR forum at the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) and is chair of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on AMR. Most recently, Dame Sally has been appointed a co-convener of the UN Inter-Agency Co-ordination Group on AMR, set up in response to the AMR declaration made at UNGA 2016.