GLORIA

Description

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an urgent security threat to global health, driven by bacterial exposure to antibiotics. Unless serious action is taken now, drug-resistant microorganisms will be responsible for an estimated 10 million annual deaths worldwide by 2050. Overarching factors contributing to AMR are the inappropriate use of antibiotics, the lack of quick diagnostic tests, and antibiotic pollution. Whilst AMR prevalence is higher in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), our worldwide vulnerability to infectious diseases – made painfully apparent by the Covid-19 pandemic – demands international efforts. The Netherlands, as one of the frontrunners in the fight against AMR, has an important role to play.

GLORIA is an international collaboration aiming to reduce and prevent antibiotic exposure. GLORIA encompasses 3 complementary research lines addressing inappropriate antibiotic use and pollution. Specifically, GLORIA will deliver innovations on: 1) the impact of vaccination on inappropriate antibiotic use, 2) point-of-care diagnostic technology to differentiate between bacterial and viral infections, and 3) affordable water monitoring technology to detect and prevent the spread of antibiotics in the environment. Consequently, GLORIA will work towards achieving equitable health and improving the health outlook of society. Thus, our program is aligned with one of the main objectives of the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda 2020-2023 Health & Care (KIA), its Central Mission, Mission I, and Mission II.

The success of GLORIA will contribute to reducing exposure to antibiotics in individuals and the environment. GLORIA will enable improved individual treatment outcomes in the countries where the program will be implemented and beyond, and will help curve the colossal healthcare expenditure against AMR in the near future. Furthermore, GLORIA will solidify the Health~Holland International Strategy by strengthening the global position of the Netherlands in the AMR field.