WHO Director-General: Take action to address the threat of antimicrobial resistance

Some common infections are becoming increasingly untreatable due to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance

At the High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance on Thursday, countries endorsed a major new political declaration pledging to take significant action to address the problem of antimicrobial resistance to address its major threat to modern medicine.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a signed article published on the same day that antimicrobial resistance kills more than 1 million people every year, and the number of deaths is expected to continue to rise in the coming decades. The problem, which is mainly caused by the misuse and overuse of medicines such as antibiotics, poses a huge threat to public health globally, especially in health facilities, where drug-resistant infections are particularly persistent, exacerbating the risks of routine medical procedures.

The challenge of antimicrobial resistance is exacerbated by a lack of resources

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said low- and middle-income countries face the worst burden of drug-resistant infections due to a lack of clean water, strained sanitation systems, limited budgets, limited access to diagnosis and appropriate treatment, and poor law enforcement.

These countries also face an extremely serious crisis in terms of equitable access to new or existing antimicrobials. Lack of access to vaccines exacerbates the risk of drug-resistant infections. In addition, these countries lack diagnostic tools, making it difficult to detect drug-resistant infections and provide the right treatment options.

In addition, antimicrobial resistance is a growing problem in conflict zones. In places such as Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, drug-resistant infections complicate the treatment of wartime wounded. The problem has been further amplified by the spread of refugee flows and medical evacuations to other regions, further amplifying the challenge on a global scale.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said peace is the best medicine.

An inspiring political manifesto

In this political declaration, world leaders made a number of commitments, including reducing the global death toll from drug-resistant bacteria by 10% by 2030 and ensuring that at least 70% of the world's antibiotics for human health care come from the "available" antibiotics that are considered safer by WHO and have the lowest potential to cause antimicrobial resistance.

Without a stronger response, global antimicrobial resistance could lead to additional health care spending of up to US$412 billion per year over the next decade, with an additional US$443 billion in lost labor and productivity, and an expected return of US$7 to US$13 for every US$1 invested in antimicrobial resistance.

"Successfully tackling antibiotic resistance requires political commitment and sustainable funding, and progress needs to be carefully measured," Tedros said. ”