This piece sheds light on the critical global issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from perspectives of healthcare professionals across different geographic and economic contexts — Bangladesh, Brazil, Nigeria, and the Middle East. As this issue escalates, it poses a significant challenge to infection prevention professionals worldwide.
At the center stage of discussion at the 79th session of United Nations General Assembly, AMR has captured the attention of world leaders who are confronting the escalating rates of bacteria, fungi, and protozoans developing resistance to antimicrobial drugs. Notably, the majority of the casualties, approximately 4.3 million of the estimated 5 million deaths, occur in low- and middle-income countries.
In Bangladesh, Senjuti Saha, deputy executive director of the Child Health Research Foundation, highlights the dire impacts of antimicrobial resistance. At the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute in Dhaka, six out of ten babies infected by the multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae perish. Ensuring a robust health system, reinforcing data collection on resistance, and implementing basic strategies to prevent infections could be instrumental in addressing this issue.
In Brazil, Ana Cristina Gales, a professor of infectious diseases and the vice-coordinator of the Antimicrobial Resistance Institute of São Paulo, recognizes the power of seemingly small changes. Pointing to instances of severe and fatal infections that could have been averted with relatively simple measures, she underscores the importance of adhering to cleanliness and isolation protocols. At a societal level, overcoming lack of awareness surrounding AMR, enhancing basic sanitation measures, and encouraging responsible use of antimicrobials could pave the way for transformative changes.
Transitioning to Nigeria, Iruka N. Okeke, a professor at the University of Ibadan, elucidates the many challenges in lowering the impact of severe bacteria infection and malaria, which affects the population at least once a year. Implementing basic sanitation programs, improving access to healthcare, and maintaining judicious adherence to protocols could help manage AMR in the region.
Nour Shamas, a Lebanese infectious-disease clinical pharmacist and a member of the World Health Organization task force of AMR survivors based in Riyadh, although not quoted in the brief, likely brings a valuable perspective from the Middle East.