Antimicrobial drugs, including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics, are medicines used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals, and plants (1). Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious, global threat that puts thousands of lives in danger every year. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that AMR is associated with around 700,000 deaths every year worldwide, although recent studies suggest that the actual number of annual deaths attributable to AMR is in the millions (2, 3).
The cold truth is that modern healthcare is wholly dependent on having access to effective antimicrobial drugs. In addition to treating infections, antimicrobials are a prerequisite for being able to carry out surgeries, neonatal care, cancer treatments, and much more.
The total cost of AMR is shocking, including the economic costs and the cost of so many human lives every year, which is why AMR has been referred to as the silent pandemic. Undeniably, this problem affects the entire global community and the time to act is now.
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