The international team of researchers estimated that each year, one in every eight deaths globally is caused by bacterial infections - about 77 lakh deaths in total, of which 50 lakh are associated with bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics. New Delhi: About 7.5 lakh deaths associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could be prevented every year in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) by improving measures that prevent infections, according to an analysis, part of a four-paper series published in The Lancet journal.
These measures included hand hygiene, regular cleaning and sterilisation of equipment in healthcare facilities, along with providing access to safe drinking water, effective sanitation and paediatric vaccines, researchers said. The international team of researchers estimated that each year, one in every eight deaths globally is caused by bacterial infections – about 77 lakh deaths in total, of which 50 lakh are associated with bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics. The authors called for support in providing sustainable access to antibiotics to be central to ambitious and actionable targets for tackling AMR.
“Access to effective antibiotics is essential to patients worldwide. A failure to provide these antibiotics puts us at risk for not meeting the UN sustainable development goals on child survival and health ageing,” said series co-author, Iruka Okeke of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Okeke said that effective antibioti.
