Superbugs could kill millions, funding cuts jeopardise the fight against AMR: Report
In what can be considered disastrous, a new study has stated that superbugs, i.e., bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotic drugs, can be the reason for millions across the globe to die.
As per the research by the Center for Global Development think tank, superbugs can not just result in the death of millions but also cost the global economy just under $2tn a year by 2050, models have shown us.
“When we conducted our research on the economic impacts of antimicrobial resistance, it was anticipated that resistance rates would continue to follow historical trends," said Anthony McDonnell, the lead author of the research, to The Guardian.
It is also worrisome that countries like the US, UK, France, Germany, and others have also reduced their financial aid and funding for research, which is expected to have dire consequences.
Researchers hope that the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) programmes are protected from the aid cuts as resistance rates across the globe are likely to increase at a rate in line with the worst-affected countries.
What is a superbug?
According to Cleveland Clinic, a superbug is any kind of infection that is hard to get rid of because it is resistant to (unable to be destroyed with) available treatment. Most superbugs are bacteria that have developed antibiotic resistance. There are also fungal superbugs that are resistant to antifungal medications.
They develop drug resistance due to various reasons. Sometimes they just naturally co-exist with other organisms and other times they just develop a defense mechanism to block the effect of the medication.
According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), deaths due to AMR are expected to increase 60 per cent by 2050, with 1.34 million people in the US and 184,000 in the UK alone predicted to die each year from antibiotic resistant bugs, while numbers of those becoming seriously ill from drug-resistant bacteria are also expected to also rise, mentioned the report in The Guardian.
Health