38 JULY-AUGUST 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL FOCUS ON GLOBAL HEALTH DIPLOMACY How to Prevent a Bacterial Pandemic in Central America Antimicrobial resistance is not simply a medical problem; it is a diplomatic challenge. BY JORGE A. HUETE-PÉREZ Jorge A. Huete-Pérez is a professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service specializing in biotechnology and science policy. With a PhD in biological sciences, he has led research in molecular microbiology and served as founding president of the Academy of Sciences of Nicaragua. A former fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, he has expertise that extends to international research collaborations and science diplomacy, fostering cooperation in science, technology, and innovation. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a global health crisis that threatens to reverse decades of medical progress. While COVID-19 highlighted viral threats, history demonstrates that bacterial pandemics have been devastating, and rising AMR now poses a silent crisis that could surpass viral outbreaks as treatments fail. In Latin America, the burden of AMR is particularly severe, with projected mortality rates rising sharply by mid-century. Central America, a subregion with fragile health systems and inconsistent regulations, has experienced an alarming surge in antibiotic consumption. Between 2016 and 2023, the subregion became one of the fastest-growing consumers of antibiotics among upper-middle-income countries. This trend raises urgent concerns about overprescription, self-medication, and the proliferation of drug-resistant infections. In the following, I propose a novel approach to the crisis, one that views AMR as a shared diplomatic challenge rather than simply a medical problem. This approach positions health diplomacy as the cornerstone of a regional AMR strategy. Fortunately, the Central American Integration System (SICA) offers an established framework through which to address this critical
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