Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

• During India’s G20 presidency, the Delhi Declaration emphasized enhancing the global health structure.
• A key focus was addressing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) through research and development (R&D), infection prevention, and control.
• Commitments were made to ensure fair access to affordable and safe vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other medical interventions.

Current Status

• A Lancet report from 2021 estimated that approximately 4.95 million deaths were linked to bacterial AMR.
• This figure matches the impact of diseases like HIV and malaria.
• Regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia displayed higher death rates, indicating heightened vulnerability to AMR.

Implications:

• The escalating levels of antimicrobial resistance pose a threat to advancements in public health related to infectious diseases.
• It also endangers treatments for conditions like cancer and impacts medical procedures such as transplants.
• Low and middle-income countries with limited healthcare infrastructure are particularly at risk due to these challenges.

Government Actions:

• Initiatives such as Free Diagnostic Services and Kayakalp have been implemented to address these issues.
• India took an early step in formulating a comprehensive National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR) in 2017, demonstrating proactive efforts.
• The NAP-AMR has notably emphasized surveillance and research initiatives.

Global Instances

• Indonesia has established its national surveillance strategies.
• Australia has prioritized animal health and committed to reducing antibiotic usage in livestock.
• Brazil has successfully reduced antibiotic usage among its population.
• The UK and the US are directing investments into research for the development of new diagnostics, medications, and vaccines against AMR.

Way Forward

• Nations should devise regional action plans targeting Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
• G20 nations could explore establishing an international funding mechanism specifically dedicated to AMR research and development.
• Advocating for patent reforms is crucial to encourage innovation while ensuring affordability of new antibiotics.
• Educating the public about the risks associated with overuse of antibiotics to promote responsible behavior among citizens is essential.
• Collaboration with academia and civil society organizations (CSOs) is pivotal in these endeavors.
• The urgency, investment, and prioritization seen during the Covid-19 pandemic should also be applied to addressing AMR.
• Strengthening health systems to be more resilient, equitable, sustainable, and inclusive, adopting the One Health approach, is crucial.
• It's imperative to bolster pandemic preparedness and reinforce existing surveillance systems for infectious diseases.