Lancet: 750,000 antibiotic-resistance related deaths could be prevented every year in LMICs
More than 750,000 deaths associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in low- and middle-income countries could be prevented every year using existing methods such as hand hygiene, regular cleaning and sterilisation of healthcare equipment, availability of safe drinking water, effective sanitation and paediatric vaccines, according to a series of papers to be published in The Lancet on May 23.
The papers were commissioned to inform a high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September addressing AMR, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified as one of the top 10 threats to global public health and development. The papers will provide crucial data, evidence, and policy recommendations to serve as the cornerstone for a UN resolution on AMR.
In Africa, more than 1 million deaths were associated with antimicrobial resistance in 2019—a higher death toll than those of HIV and malaria, two of the continent’s leading infectious disease killers.
The authors warn that if the world does not prioritise action on antimicrobial resistance now, the global death toll from AMR—currently 5 million a year—will increase, with young infants, elderly people, people with chronic illnesses and those requiring surgical procedures at highest risk.
