Antimicrobial resistance: a global emergency, according to a group of experts which draws an alarming observation

Résistance aux antimicrobiens : une urgence mondiale, selon un groupe d’experts

The Global Steering Group on Antimicrobial Resistance – antibiotics including – calls on UN member states to react urgently to this growing threat. Its latest study suggests a staggering human and economic cost if strong measures are not quickly taken against antimicrobial resistance.

"Unchecked, antimicrobial resistance will reduce life expectancy and cause unprecedented health care costs and economic losses.&quot This is the alarming observation drawn up, Thursday, April 4 in a press release, by the Global Steering Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, relayed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Antimicrobials –excessive or misused. Bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites then adapt to the drug and evolve to resist it later. They adapt. "As a result, medications lose their effectiveness and infections persist in the body, increasing the risk of transmission to other people", summarizes the WHO.

Children under 5 years of age particularly affected

AMR is already one of the main causes of death in the world, directly responsible for 1.27 million deaths per year, according to the research group. experts. One in five deaths concern children under five, mainly in low- and middle-income countries.

The economic study carried out by these experts shows that an economic catastrophe will be added to the humanitarian catastrophe. They say that globally, 1.8 years of life expectancy will be lost by 2023. The study estimates that $412 billion (380 billion euros) will be lost. rsquo;euros) per year in additional health costs and 443 billion dollars (409 billion euros) per year in lost workforce productivity. In addition to this bleak picture, it proposes solutions that would cost an average of $46 million per year, but would bring in $13 for every dollar spent by 2050.

Research, surveillance, prevention, coordination

The group of experts therefore calls for a strong mobilization of UN member countries. "This data portends a devastating future if we do not take bolder action now", said the chair of the group’ RAM experts, Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados. "This is why the Global Leadership Group is making recommendations and proposing targets to drive a robust global response to AMR and save millions of lives."

Guidelines are set out, in particular to better finance research and development of new drugs, coordinate a global response and strengthen AMR surveillance. And, "Because prevention is the cornerstone of the response to AMR, the GLG recommends that countries implement strategies to prevent infections in human and animal health and in food, plant and environmental ecosystems to to reduce the need for antimicrobials, note the experts.

Challenging objectives

They set several objectives to be achieved by 2030:

Reduce the number of human deaths due to AMR by 10%; consume 80% of all antibiotics from the ACCESS group. These drugs, such as amoxicillin, "are effective in a wide range of common infections and have a relatively low risk of causing resistance", explains the WHO; reduce the quantity of antimicrobials used in the agri-food industry by at least 30 to 50%; put an end to the use of antimicrobials of primary importance for humans in animals when the aim is not to treat and in plants when the aim is not phytosanitary (example: the use of antibiotics for growth). Source: WHO, Global Steering Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Written by Dorothée Duchemin – Edited by: Vincent Roche. Antimicrobial resistance, antibiotics, antibiotic resistance