Strategic approach for combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Global Health Security

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has progressively worsened over 70 years due to antimicrobial misuse in humans and animals.
• Insufficient research and investment in new antimicrobial agents exacerbate the AMR crisis.
• Projected global mortality from AMR could reach 10 million annually by 2050, a significant increase from current estimates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the escalating global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
• To underscore the critical shift of AMR from a technical issue to a political priority since 2014.
• To review major global initiatives and progress in combating AMR.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of historical trends in antimicrobial resistance.
• Review of global policy developments and action plans concerning AMR.
• Examination of international collaborations and surveillance systems for AMR.

Main Results:

• Antimicrobial resistance has shown a continuous incremental worsening over seven decades.
• Significant global progress has been made since 2014, including the adoption of the Global Action Plan on AMR and the establishment of the Global Antimicrobial Surveillance System (GLASS).
• International coordination led by the WHO has been crucial for sustained political commitment to addressing AMR.

Conclusions:

• The increasing trend of antimicrobial resistance poses a severe threat to global health, necessitating urgent and sustained action.
• The transformation of AMR into a political agenda has spurred the development of comprehensive global and national action plans.
• Coordinated international efforts and robust surveillance systems are essential for effectively managing and mitigating the impact of antimicrobial resistance.