The Call to Action event in Berlin on October 12 and 13 was organized by the Wellcome Trust, in partnership with the UK, Thai, and Ghanaian Governments, and the United Nations Foundation.
Analysis by Wellcome and the UN Foundation shows that while 151 of 195 countries are developing an action plan to tackle drug-resistant infections, only half address the threat across human and animal health and the environment. Just 1 in 5 commit to reducing antibiotic use, improving hygiene, and preserving antibiotics of last resort, and only 5 percent are adequately funded and monitored.
Dr Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust said: “Political and societal recognition of the threat superbugs pose has definitely increased. But the progress is fragile. We need to make sure we all convert that welcome high-level commitment into real action that makes a tangible difference to people lives. There is no doubt that together, we can stop the superbugs which could undermine the whole of modern medicine. But the impact is now and the time to act is now, we need to bring real urgency to this.”
If not effectively addressed, numbers dying from drug-resistant infections could rise to 10 million within a generation, with economic costs reaching US $100 trillion.
For further details, please see the source article here.