In a notable development, Professor Dame Sally Davies, the UK’s AMR Envoy and former Chief Medical Officer of England, extended a gracious invitation to Erick Venant, the founder of the RBA Initiative, for a face-to-face meeting following their initial virtual encounter. This meeting took place in the charming city of Cambridge, United Kingdom, where they engaged in a meaningful discussion on collective efforts to combat the critical issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
During their meeting, Dame Sally Davies commended the RBA Initiative for its unwavering commitment to addressing AMR by actively involving younger generations and communities in Tanzania. This commendation is a testament to the organization’s tireless work in spreading awareness and mobilizing action against AMR.
In return, Erick Venant,of the RBA Initiative, expressed his admiration and appreciation for Dame Sally’s relentless efforts in championing the cause of AMR awareness on a global scale. Their meeting in Cambridge stands as a symbol of collaboration and shared dedication to the crucial mission of containing antimicrobial resistance.
Read the Dame Sally post-meeting tweet (https://twitter.com/UKAMREnvoy/status/1468231832705675274?t=lLyRq4SyKgEXBz3SgWGzJA&s=03).
About Professor Dame Sally Davies
Professor Dame Sally is the Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance for the United Kingdom and a member of the Global UN leaders’ group on antimicrobial resistance. Previously, Dame Sally was Chief Medical Officer for England and Chief Medical Adviser to the UK Government (2011-2019). In this role, she founded the National Institute for Health Research and served on the World Health Organization Executive Board. Dame Sally has brought AMR to the forefront of the global health dialogue, including as a co-convener of the UN Interagency Coordination Group on AMR. She brought together experts and leaders from different regions, sectors, and disciplines to recommend actions to accelerate global action on AMR. Dame Sally was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 2014 and a member of the National Academy of Medicine, the USA in 2015. In the 2020 New Year Honors, Dame Sally became the second woman (and the first outside the Royal Family) to be appointed Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) for services to public health and research.
Watch this powerful presentation by her on the tragedy of reliance on antimicrobials, which are becoming more and more ineffective against relatively common, yet life-threatening diseases such as TB, HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Pneumonia, and Urinary Tract Infections. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7evvWt8XN7o