Antimicrobial resistance expected to cause 5.2 million deaths in the Western Pacific by 2030

An estimated 5.2 million people in the Western Pacific Region are expected to die as a result of drug-resistant bacterial infections between now and the end of 2030, according to the first World Health Organization (WHO) regional assessment on health and economic impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) released today.

The assessment found that AMR will cost the Western Pacific Region an estimated total of US$ 148 billion between 2020 and 2030 – nearly 10% of the Region’s total health expenditure in 2019 – due to lost productivity and additional health-care expenses associated with prolonged hospitalizations. By the end of 2030, patients with antimicrobial-resistant infections in the Region will spend an estimated 172 million extra days in hospital.