Antimicrobial Resistance Could Spell Disaster for Global Economy, Experts Warn

By Gift Briton

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) -bacterial infections due to antibiotic resistance- is expected to dramatically impact nearly every facet of life over the next decade, with Global Leaders Group (GLG) calling on countries to take action to address the issue.

AMR is already a leading cause of death globally. It kills approximately 1.27 million people annually, one in five of which occur in children under the age of five, mainly in developing countries.

According to GLG, unless specific and bolder action is taken, the already staggering human toll of AMR will be compounded by a catastrophic hit to the global economy.

“We have the tools to mitigate the AMR crisis and data point to a devastating future if we do not take bolder action now. That is why the Global Leaders Group is making recommendations and proposing targets to drive a robust global response to AMR and save millions of lives,” says Chair of the GLG on AMR, Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados.

A recent economic study confirms that without a more robust response, AMR will have a catastrophic effect on the global economy, including huge increases in health expenditure and lost productivity. With current levels of action, AMR is expected to impose much greater health expenditures, with total expenses to treat resistant bacterial infections alone reaching US$ 412 billion annually up to 2035. Increased morbidity and mortality from these infections will lead to lower workforce participation and productivity losses of US$ 443 billion per year and an average loss of 1.8 years of life expectancy globally.

AMR also poses a huge risk to animal health and global food production. Antimicrobials are widely used to prevent and treat infectious diseases in livestock, especially in developing countries where the burden of animal diseases is higher, and access to preventative measures such as vaccines is limited. This leads to overdependence on antimicrobials to control diseases hence the spread of resistant strains of bacteria in livestock leading to an increase in animal morbidity and mortality.

With more than 1.3 billion people relying on livestock for their livelihoods, and over 20 million people depending on aquaculture, there is an urgent need to prioritize actions and policies targeting AMR in animals, the study reads.

In a new report released on April 4, GLG calls UN Member States to ensure that adequate, predictable, and sustainable financing is available from domestic and external sources to address AMR, including to tackle the dwindling research and development pipeline for new antibiotics.

The leaders propose that existing financing instruments expand their scope to include AMR and increase investments to support the implementation of multisectoral National Action Plans, especially in developing countries.

The report also stresses the need for improved quality of data on antimicrobial resistance and use through surveillance and monitoring and recommends that countries strengthen human resources and crucial infrastructure capacity and highlight the need for sustainable, sector-specific, and integrated surveillance systems and the use of data for action.