TECH-POWERED WAR ON AMR

The consistent increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is threatening to undo many of the gains of modern medicine. The situation is particularly alarming in the Asia Pacific region, which could witness around 50 per cent of global annual AMR-related mortality by 2050. Around 62 per cent of antibiotics in the region are used without prescriptions, indicating inappropriate usage and significantly increasing the risk of AMR strain emergence, according to a report from LEK Consulting Group. All this makes the region an epicentre of AMR and its consequences. In response to the growing threat, countries in the region have taken steps to tackle the AMR threat. These include a National Action Plan on AMR (NAP-AMR), antimicrobial stewardship efforts, diagnostics surveillance etc. However, the million-dollar question is whether these steps will be effective and enough. Let’s find out.

- Ayesha Siddiqui

I 'n 2022, the World Health Organisation SouthEast Asia Region (WHO SEAR) released the third progress analysis of implementing NAPS to address AMR. The analysis reveals that all eleven member states in the region made progress against the NAP-AMR between 2018 and 2021, with Bhutan, Korea, and Thailand leading the way. These achievements occurred despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The implementation of NAP-AMR in all countries of the region reached 64 per cent progress, a significant improvement compared to 40 per cent recorded in the second situational analysis in 2018. Furthermore, there were no reported regressions in implementation status during 2021, as compared to the 2018 analysis. Many innovative approaches and technologies are being deployed against the AMR scourge.

There have been incremental steps taken to address this monumental crisis. Experts, however, believe that the progress made so far is not enough given the severity of the situation.