The United Nations has agreed to fight "the biggest threat to modern medicine"—antibiotic resistance.
All 193 U.N. member states are set to sign a declaration to combat drug-resistant superbugs that are estimated to kill hundreds of thousands of people each year.
At a meeting on September 21, signatories will officially commit themselves to encouraging innovation in antibiotic development, increasing awareness and developing technologies.
Only three other health issues—HIV, non-communicable diseases and Ebola—have been the subject of a general assembly high-level meeting.
It is estimated that more than 700,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant infections, according to a Reuters investigation.
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