Global fight against antibiotic resistance

United Nations: World leaders are set to sign a landmark declaration and commit more than £600 million to fighting the “biggest global health threat” — antibiotics.

The rise of the “superbugs” that are resistant to antibiotic treatments, and the threat they pose to modern medicine, will be recognised in a pledge signed by officials from 193 countries at the UN General Assembly in New York, according to The Independent.

The international commitment could prevent 7,00,000 deaths a year, say experts.
This is only the fourth time a UN declaration has been reached on a health issue — following HIV in 2001, non-communicable diseases in 2011 and Ebola in 2013.

The signatories now have two years to report back with an action plan, the BBC reported.

According to experts, treatment-resistant infection is one of the biggest threats to humanity today. Simple infections could soon become untreatable with the existing drugs if urgent action is not taken. The problem has been caused by over-use of antimicrobial medicines for humans, animals and agriculture, according to a BBC report.

Health leaders from around the world have raised serious concerns about the growing resistance to antimicrobial drugs. Repeated exposure allows bacteria and other infections, including HIV and malaria, to learn how to dodge these treatments by mutating ad evolving.

Unless new effective treatments are found, routine medical procedures such as hip operations and Caesarean sections could become too dangerous to perform.

Nations that sign the UN declaration will agree to develop surveillance and regulatory systems on the use and sales of antimicrobial medicines for humans and animals, encourage innovative ways to develop new antibiotics and educate health professionals and raise public awareness on how to prevent drug-resistant infections, The Independent reported.