AMR is a pressing global concern, diminishing the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs and threatening public health and medical procedures worldwide.
Importance of tackling AMR Microorganisms that develop resistance to antimicrobial drugs are referred to as "superbugs" .1 These microbes have been detected in more than 204 countries across the world. The World Health Organization has declared antimicrobial resistance to be one of the top ten global public health threats.2
In many developing countries, antibiotics are freely sold over the counter without the need for any prescription.5 Overuse of antibiotics in livestock also causes AMR.6 Furthermore, the lack of effective diagnostics in many low-to-medium-income countries induces misuse of antimicrobials that may trigger the rise of superbugs.
The lack of effective antimicrobial drugs could also make routine surgical procedures more dangerous to perform and increase mortality rates. AMR increases an individual's suffering for longer because infections become more difficult to treat. This may lead to prolonged hospital admission.5 Increasing awareness of the impact of AMR among healthcare providers could be the important first step in preventing this condition. Providing healthcare workers with educational materials on AMR via digital learning technologies can strengthen their competence.9 This could promote behavioral changes that may contribute to a more reasonable use of antimicrobials. Recently, the WHO also published guidelines to help educate and train health workers on AMR.
Global policies The inappropriate use of antimicrobial drugs has also been attributed to a lack of robust policies on their proper use and poor monitoring of the medicine supply chain at the national and sub-national levels.11 Health ministries or departments should get involved in spreading awareness about AMR.
Scientific research Scientists worldwide have focused on repurposing drugs and developing new antibiotics. Global non-profit partnerships, such as CARB-X, are funding scientific research to develop new treatments, particularly for use in low—and middle-income countries.13 For instance, CARB-X awarded £2 million to the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford to develop a novel vaccine to prevent multi-drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
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