Broad-impact Tech Against AMR Threat

According to one of the most comprehensive studies of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), 4.95 million deaths were associated with – including 1.27 million deaths attributed to – bacterial AMR in 2019. Forecasts show that by 2050, the Asia Pacific region will account for 47 per cent of AMR-related deaths worldwide. Left unaddressed, AMR-related costs in Asia are projected to rise from $550 billion to $700 billion by 2050, absorbing 0.8 per cent to 1 per cent of regional gross domestic product (GDP).

As the rapidly growing AMR threat transcends geography, economic status, and culture, we must find novel solutions that can be rapidly translated to commercial products for public health.

Singapore recognises the urgency of this AMR issue, with a robust suite of education, infection control, and research programmes implemented by local ministries and agencies responsible for human health, animal health, food and the environment.

AMR is a ‘hidden pandemic’ that affects all forms of infectious disease: viruses, bacteria and parasites. These pathogens are all capable of developing resistance to vaccines and drugs, with the situation exacerbated by the overuse of antibiotics.