According to a study by the Global Leaders Group on AMR published last Friday, there could be an average loss of 1.8 years of life expectancy worldwide by 2035 due to antimicrobial resistance. This study also estimates the economic costs of this global health issue, projected to cost the world $412 billion annually in additional healthcare costs and $443 billion in lost labour productivity.
In this context, the analysis shows that implementing a package of intersectoral interventions against AMR globally, costing an average of $46 billion annually, would yield economic and health benefits. «We have tools to mitigate the AMR crisis, and if we don’t take bold action now, the data point to a devastating future,» says the president of the Global Leaders Group on AMR.
This report, titled Towards commitments and specific actions in the response to antimicrobial resistance, urges member states to ensure adequate, predictable, and sustainable funding from national and external sources to address antibiotic resistance.
Given that prevention is key in responding to AMR, the group recommends that countries implement strategies to prevent infections in humans and animals, as well as in food, plant, and environmental ecosystems, to reduce the need for antibiotic consumption.
Additionally, the group proposes reducing the number of antimicrobials used in the global food system by at least 30-50% by 2030 compared to current levels and eliminating the use of antibiotics intended for human medicine in animals for non-veterinary medical purposes or in crop production and food systems for non-phytosanitary purposes.