Drug-Resistant Diseases Could Kill 10 Million Annually by 2050: UN

The report also warns that it could cause damage to the economy as catastrophic as the 2008 global financial crisis.

If no action is taken, drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050.

(Photo: iStockphoto)

If no action is taken, drug-resistant diseases could cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050 and damage to the economy as catastrophic as the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, warns a new report by United Nations (UN).

The report released by Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (IACG) on Monday also finds that by 2030, antimicrobial resistance could force up to 24 million people into extreme poverty.

UN, international agencies and experts demand immediate, coordinated and ambitious action to avert a potentially disastrous drug-resistance crisis.

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing problem in India and is making it particularly hard to treat diseases like Tuberculosis (TB), childhood sepsis and malaria. It is estimated that annually at least 700,000 deaths occur from antibiotic-resistant infections in low- and middle-income countries. This includes 230,000 people who die from multidrug-resistant TB.

More and more common diseases, including respiratory tract infections, sexually transmitted infections and urinary tract infections, are untreatable; lifesaving medical procedures are becoming much riskier, and our food systems are increasingly precarious.

The world is already feeling the economic and health consequences as crucial medicines become ineffective. The report emphasises that without investment from countries in all income brackets, future generations will face the disastrous impacts of uncontrolled antimicrobial resistance.

Recognising that human, animal, food and environmental health are closely interconnected, the report calls for a coordinated, multi-sector “One Health” approach.

This report reflects a renewed commitment to collaborative action at the global level by the World Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest threats we face as a global community. This report reflects the depth and scope of the response needed to curb its rise and protect a century of progress in health.

Ms Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General

The recommendations require immediate engagement across sectors, from governments and the private sector, to civil society and academia.