Antimicrobial resistance or AMR is considered one of the top global public health problems. It also poses an urgent and critical threat to animal and plant health, food security and economic development.
Bracing for Superbugs: Strengthening environmental action in the One Health response to antimicrobial resistance, a new report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), provides evidence that the environment plays a key role in the development, transmission and spread of AMR.
Antimicrobials – such as antibiotics, antifungals and disinfectants – are important in treating infections and diseases. However, their increased use and pollution, coupled with extreme weather patterns and higher temperatures, leads to the spread of superbugs, microorganisms that are resistant to every known antibiotic.
By 2050, up to 10 million people could die annually due to antimicrobial resistance, while global GDP could drop by US$3.4 trillion by 2030.
Reducing pollution created by the pharmaceuticals, agricultural and health-care sectors is essential to reducing the emergence, transmission and spread of superbugs.
