Medical experts are raising concerns over what they describe as a silent threat, ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (AMR) that needs urgent attention.
According to these professionals, ‘Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a grave threat to global public health’; and, if it ‘continues to rise unchecked, formerly minor infections, could become life threatening and severe infections could become superbugs that are impossible to treat, and many routine medical procedures could become too risky to perform’. This paints a gloomy picture about the situation and how authorities have paid little attention to AMR, effects and ways of handling it.
To create awareness about Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship, a Biopharmaceutical company, Pfizer hosted a virtual media roundtable meeting with some health professionals to discuss ways of ensuring ongoing patient safety and protection and ‘maintain the future effectiveness of antibiotics’.
The Medical Director of West Africa Pfizer, Dr Kodjo Soroh, says “Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.”
Dr Kodjo Soroh stressed that ‘Overuse of antibiotics is creating stronger germs. Some bacteria are already “resistant” to common antibiotics. When bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, it is often harder and more expensive to treat the infection. Losing the ability to treat serious bacterial infections is a major threat to public health’.
Medics say, AMR is one of the biggest threats to global health today and can affect anyone, of any age, in any country. If it continues to rise unchecked, minor infections could become life- threatening, serious infections could become impossible to treat, and many routine medical procedures could become too risky to perform. Without action by governments, industry, and society, AMR is expected to cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050.
It is against this background that Pfizer is demanding a government, public health community collaboration; to work together with industry where further actions and support measures will be settled on, to enable continued innovation in developing new antibiotics and vaccines to help curb the spread of AMR.
It was discussed that by 2050, the UN estimates that up to 10 million deaths could be caused by superbugs and associated forms of antimicrobial resistance, matching the annual global death toll of cancer.
A Clinical Pharmacologist Prof. Kwame Ohene Buabeng, indicated that “Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious threat to global public health. It increases morbidity and mortality, and is associated with high economic costs due to its health care burden.’
He added, “Infections with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria also have substantial implications on clinical and economic outcomes. Moreover, increased indiscriminate use of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic will heighten bacterial resistance and ultimately lead to more deaths”.
“This review highlights AMR’s scale and consequences, the importance, and implications of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) to fight resistance and protect global health. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), an organizational or system-wide health-care strategy, is designed to promote, improve, monitor, and evaluate the rational use of antimicrobials to preserve their future effectiveness, along with the promotion and protection of public health”. He said.
‘ASP has been very successful in promoting antimicrobials’ appropriate use by implementing evidence-based interventions. The “One Health” approach, a holistic and multispectral approach, is also needed to address AMR’s rising threat. AMS practices, principles, and interventions are critical steps towards containing and mitigating AMR. Evidence-based policies must guide the “One Health” approach, vaccination protocols, health professionals’ education, and the public’s awareness about AMR’
Currently, it is said that at least 700,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant diseases. More and more common diseases, including respiratory tract infections, sexually transmitted infections and urinary tract infections, are untreatable; lifesaving medical procedures are becoming much riskier, and our food systems are increasingly precarious, according to the health professionals.
In his address, a Senior Lecturer at the School of Medicine and Dentistry of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr Yaw Ampem Amoako, noted that “Antimicrobial stewardship programmes optimize the use of antimicrobials, improve patient outcomes, reduce AMR and health-care-associated infections, and save health-care costs amongst others”.
H said, “With rates of AMR increasing worldwide, and very few new antibiotics being developed, existing antibiotics are becoming a limited resource. It is therefore essential that antibiotics only be prescribed – and that last-resort antibiotics (AWaRe RESERVE group) be reserved – for patients who truly need them. Hence, AMS and its defined set of actions for optimizing antibiotic use are of paramount importance”
Dr Yaw Ampem Amoako noted “A robust pipeline of new antimicrobials is essential to restoring the balance against increasing rates of AMR. However, significant economic hurdles have made research and development in this area a challenge. No novel class of antibiotics has been launched for almost 40 years, and even when newly approved treatments come to market, they may be used sparingly to support good antimicrobial stewardship practices – making it difficult to recover the high cost associated with development. New reimbursement models that more fully reflect the complete value of antimicrobials are critical.”
About Pfizer
Pfizer applies science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. According to them, they strive to set the standard for quality, safety, and value in the discovery, development, and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines.
Their target is to collaborate with health care providers, governments, and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world.