The AMR Challenge: Strengthening Healthcare Infrastructures Against A Silent Epidemic
Source: Don’t ignore the threat of antimicrobial resistance, The Indian Express, November 6, 2023
- One Health Approach and Pandemic Preparedness: During the G20 summit, under India’s leadership, nations pledged to create stronger health systems. The goal is to build resilience and promote equitable healthcare.
- Battling Antimicrobial Resistance: The countries also agreed to focus on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). They plan to do this by supporting research and development. They will also improve infection control and responsible use of antibiotics.
- Supporting Vulnerable Nations: A key part of the agreement is to help poorer nations. They will get better access to vaccines and medical treatments. This includes those in low-income countries and small island states.
- AMR Death Toll: A Lancet report from 2021 found that around the globe, bacterial AMR resulted in nearly 5 million deaths. Of these, direct AMR fatalities were 1.27 million. These numbers are comparable to death rates from HIV and malaria.
- Distribution of AMR Impact: The problem of AMR hits hardest in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. They experience the most deaths due to AMR, indicating a high vulnerability.
- Threats Beyond Infectious Diseases: AMR’s growth is not only reversing progress in infectious disease control. It also poses serious risks to treatments for cancer and transplant procedures.
- The G20 and Africa’s Role: The G20, representing over 60% of the world’s population, includes Africa. Africa makes up 17.89% of the world’s people. This inclusion will significantly affect health outcomes in countries with developing healthcare systems.
Global Collaboration and Local Action for AMR
- Regional AMR Action Plans in Developing Countries: G20 countries have national plans to fight AMR. They are good but work differently based on policy and how people are involved. Helping developing countries make their own plans should be a priority.
- International Funding for AMR Research: An international fund for AMR research and development should come from the G20. It would help find new ways to deal with AMR.
- Patent Reforms and Antibiotic Affordability: Changing how patents work can lead to more innovation and lower drug prices. Developing countries might benefit from sharing ideas, like the ‘Medicines Patent Pool’, to make new antibiotics more affordable.
Strengthening AMR Containment in India
- Local Implementation of NAPs: Countries should focus on applying their National Action Plans (NAPs) at the local level. India created a NAP on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) back in 2017. However, this plan wasn’t applied very well. It lacked leadership and funding.
- Surveillance and Research: India’s NAP-AMR gives a lot of attention to keeping an eye on AMR and conducting research. Efforts are made in the areas of health for humans, animals, plants, and also the environment. We need more monitoring beyond just the big hospitals to really grasp AMR’s impact.
- Government Initiatives: Indian government programmes, Free Diagnostic Services, and Kayakalp aim to help control AMR. They follow strict health rules. We need to tell people why using too many antibiotics can be harmful. Doing so could change how they behave.
- Role of Academia and CSOs: Universities should study how AMR affects our environment. They can also invent new tools and educate health workers. Civil groups need to spread the word and push for changes in policy. They worked well for TB and HIV/AIDS. But we haven’t seen much of this for AMR programs yet.
Related Readings
- Turning The Tide On Antimicrobial Resistance: A Global Effort
- Integrating ‘One Health’ In India’s Strategy Against Climate-Induced Infectious Diseases
- Understanding The Importance Of First-Ever COP ‘Health Day’