I attended a conference last week that focuses on how environmental damage drives drug resistant infections. Just as I was inspired by colleagues from around the world who described their work focusing on rivers, urban and rural landscapes, informal settlements and vulnerable settings, I was frustrated that there was no representation of Pakistani scientists or policymakers (I am aware of visa challenges these days, but I also know that at the same venue Pakistani researchers have presented recently in another conference focusing on AI and computing). Pakistan continues to face serious challenges in antimicrobial resistance that has been well-documented in dozens of studies. We also have serious issues with environmental degradation in urban areas with sewage, plastics and other forms of pollution. So why are we not present at global meetings that focus on the nexus of these two areas? Shouldn't we be concerned about public welfare and focus on good scientific evidence for better policy?

Somewhere towards the end of my time at the conference, I realised........

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