A new analysis published in The Lancet estimates that if current trends continue, over 39 million deaths globally could be attributed to antimicrobial resistance each year by 2050.
This study, led by the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) Project estimates that South Asia, particularly India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are expected to be hardest hit with 11.8 million deaths predicted between 2025 and 2050.
"Understanding how trends in antimicrobial resistance deaths have changed over time, and how they are likely to shift in future, is vital to make informed decisions to help save lives," said study author Dr.Mohsen Naghavi.
The rise of antimicrobial resistance, which is a serious threat, has greater impact on older adults. Deaths in people aged over 70 due to antimicrobial resistance increased by 80% between 1990 and 2021. At the same time, there has been a 50% decrease in deaths of children under five years of age, mainly due to reductions in sepsis and other infections.
An improved access to healthcare and antibiotics could save as many as 92 million lives by 2050, the researchers estimated. This study, the first comprehensive analysis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) trends over time, analyzed data from over 500 million individuals across 204 countries underscoring the global scale of this crisis.
The time to act is now.
An increasing resistance to antibiotics - one of the “cornerstones of modern healthcare” - is a major cause for concern and the findings highlighted the significance of the global health threat, according to author Dr.Mohsen Naghavi from the IHME.
