By Hamu Madzedze
The World Health Organisation says there is a need to urgently accelerate action against Antimicrobial Resistance(AMR) following an increase in the number of deaths due to AMR.
Addressing delegates who attended the Strategic Roundtable on "Antimicrobial Resistance organised at the 77th World Health Assembly,the World Health Orgnaisation Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said AMR is a growing and urgent crisis which is becoming a leading cause of untimely deaths globally.
"AMR threatens to unwind centuries of progress recorded in human health, animal health and other sectors "said Dr Ghebreyesus.
Speaking at the same occasion Global Health ,London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Dr Peter Piot said AMR is a gathering storm which is aimed at threatening a century of progress in medicine if left unaddressed.
Dr Piot added that every year drug -resistant bacteria claims more than a million lives globally especially in low and middle-income countries.
"We take for granted that infections that once spelled death are routinely cured with antibiotics and in this age of ever more advanced and personalised medicine,we have grown complacent about these marvels that allowed us to bring infections under control"said Dr Piot.
He added that AMR is a not only a major problem but its a problem with solutions as there is a lot that can be done to combat the challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
"Antibiotics should be reserved for genuine cases ,while aggressively developing new drugs ,diagnostics vaccines and non-pharmaceutical .
Dr Piot highlighted that there is a need to act decisively and fight AMR or lose much of the hard gained progress in health and modern medicine for the future.
Special Envoy on AMR for UK and a member of Global Leaders Group on AMR Professor Dame Sally Davies said it is their hope that the upcoming United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on AMR will address the needs of the most vulnerable communities.
Professor Davies said there should be fair and equitable access to antibiotics and diagnosis embedded in a better system of water,sanitation and hygiene.
"From declaration to implementation , l call upon everyone to make equity ,One Health approach ,and actions the cornerstone of our next step to tackle AMR"said Professor Davies.
Dr Kamina Walia ,the Convener and Co-Chairperson of Scientific Committee of the Global AMR Media Alliance and a senior AMR scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research said AMR causes significant mortality ,morbidity and economic loss in low and middle income countries including India.
"Several countries in Asia and Africa have observed a worrying trend of increasing drug resistance while progress towards AMR containment efforts remain scattered
Dr Walia highlighted the need for countries to invest in strengthening healthcare systems and prioritising prevention interventions such as infection control in hospitals ,communities and vaccines.
AMR is a problem caused by misuse and overuse of antimicrobial medicines ,including antibiotics and antivirals and results in critical medicines losing their effectiveness in treating infections.
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