"The problem is further compounded by the use of substandard and falsified medicines which are widely prevalent, especially in low and middle- income countries. Substandard and falsified medicine is a form of misuse that is often invisible to the provider," opined Alexandra Cameron, Unit Head, Impact Initiatives and Research Coordination, Antimicrobial Resistance Division, WHO.
She pointed out that overuse of antimicrobials can also lead to medicine stock outs, making effective treatments unavailable to other patients who need them desperately. "We also have the paradox that misuse and overuse of antimicrobial medicines coexists alongside a lack of access to effective antimicrobials. In low and middle-income countries, lack of access to medicines is causing more deaths than AMR itself."
AMR can affect anyone. None are immune from it. It can happen to anyone, anywhere. Even a minor injury, routine surgery, or a common lung infection could unexpectedly escalate into a life-threatening situation.
'AMR is invisible, but I am not'- So goes the slogan by WHO Task Force of AMR Survivors - who have survived drug-resistant infections or cared for those with such infections.
Felix Liauw, a pediatrician from Indonesia and a member of WHO Task Force of AMR Survivors, shared the traumatic story of his 3 month old son who passed away due to delay in diagnosis and extensive misuse of medicines. Right after his birth, Liauw's son suffered from chronic diarrhoea and fever. He was initially diagnosed with sepsis. His sepsis treatment changed from first-line to second-line and eventually to third-line antibiotics (meropenem) but with no improvement in his condition. Then a genetic test was done and it took 6 weeks to get the results that he had congenital short bowel syndrome- a rare genetic condition. It took a very long time to make this correct diagnosis, and by then it was too late. He also had hospital acquired infections. While there is no cure for this disease, the disorder usually can be treated effectively. So timely and correct diagnosis is key.
"As a pediatrician and caregiver, I would like to share that we should give antibiotics or other antimicrobials only when we have a confirmed diagnosis. We should be aware of hospital-acquired infections and do all what we can to stop the transmission of infections", advises Liauw.
Animal Health and AMR
Yu Qiu, Animal Health Officer, at Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) rightly points out that AMR is a One Health issue because it represents the growing challenge to the agriculture and food sector with serious consequences for human health, animal health, food safety and global food security. Drugs used to treat infections in livestock and companion animals are becoming less effective.
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