South African Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has told the UN high-level meeting on AMR that the world could return to an era where common infections are untreatable, and routine surgeries become life-threatening.
Motsoaledi believes that ARM is a pressing challenge, pointing out that South Africa was one of the high-burden countries of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB), where this makes up 2% of the TB burden.
“However, in responding to this threat, we continue to lag behind, especially on TB research, and global collaboration. This situation has the potential to reverse many decades of medical advancements,” he stressed.
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According to the World Health Organisation, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to medicines, leading to infections becoming difficult or impossible to treat, thus increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.
“I stand before you with a sense of urgency and hope that as we join hands to tackle the problem of AMR, we have a full appreciation of the significant threat it poses to global health, food security and development,” the Minister told world leaders on Thursday.
Motsoaledi said the risks of these illnesses have profound economic implications, affecting healthcare costs, productivity, and overall economic growth.
In his view, tackling AMR is not just a health imperative but also an economic necessity that requires a concerted effort by global leaders.
“We must embrace the power of education about the prudent use of antibiotics so that we can curb the misuse and overuse that drive resistance in humans, plants and animals,” he said.
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