Urgent need for global action against antimicrobial resistance: Report

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Even as nearly 5 million deaths are associated with Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) every year worldwide, a new report has called for urgent need for global action.

The 2024 AMR Preparedness Index Progress Report, released by the Global Coalition on Aging and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), shows that while large global economies have made some progress in their efforts to address AMR, they need to do more to reduce the health and financial impact.

The report assesses how the 11 largest global economies -- Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and the US -- have advanced on calls to action laid out in the 2021 AMR Preparedness Index.

The 2021 Index examined over 100 metrics to evaluate and rank countries' performance against AMR and establish benchmarks for policy action and leadership.

"Each year, nearly 5 million deaths are associated with AMR, with a disproportionate impact on low and middle-income countries. Without the creation of innovative and novel antimicrobials, growing resistance to our existing drugs threatens our ability to perform even routine medical care," the report said.

"AMR is a significant barrier to health system sustainability and public health, including healthy ageing. It is also an economic challenge -- without correcting course on AMR, the World Bank estimates that AMR could cost the global economy as much as $3.4 trillion annually by 2023," it added.

The report showed that the UK maintained its position as the global leader in the fight against AMR, and many of the countries showed promising progress in many areas, but there is still greater action and targeted investment needed across all countries evaluated, particularly to revive the floundering pipeline of novel antibiotics.

"AMR is no longer just a public health threat -- it is already here," said Michael Hodin, CEO of GCOA, in a statement. "It's imperative that global leaders leverage their power -- both separately and collaboratively -- to commit and implement concrete actions in the face of growing drug resistance. Without such action, we risk losing antibiotics, and with them, our ability to enjoy the longevity that we do currently."

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