The World Health Organization (WHO) has released the Integrated Drug Resistance Action Framework for HIV, hepatitis B and C, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) 2026–2030, providing a strategic roadmap to tackle the growing threat of drug resistance and protect progress toward ending AIDS, hepatitis, and STI epidemics as major public health concerns. The framework emphasizes the urgent need for coordinated, integrated action to prevent the emergence and spread of drug resistance, which, if unaddressed, could increase new infections, treatment failures, and preventable morbidity and mortality, ultimately undermining global elimination goals.
The framework identifies five strategic areas: prevention and response, monitoring and surveillance, research and innovation, laboratory capacity, and governance and enabling mechanisms. It underscores the importance of antimicrobial stewardship, robust surveillance systems, and equitable access to high-quality prevention, diagnostic, and treatment services for HIV, hepatitis B and C, and STIs. By integrating these efforts, the framework promotes a people-centred approach to preserve the effectiveness of life-saving medicines.
Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Department for HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections, highlighted that drug resistance threatens decades of progress in controlling HIV, hepatitis, and STIs. She stressed that the framework serves as a call to action for countries, communities, and partners to unite under a shared agenda, safeguarding antimicrobial efficacy while accelerating efforts to end these epidemics.
The framework aligns with WHO’s global health sector strategies, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. It builds on renewed political commitment following the 2024 UN High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance, offering a multisectoral, actionable roadmap to strengthen prevention, treatment, and monitoring systems across health sectors worldwide.
