Catastrophic floods and antimicrobial resistance: Interconnected threats with wide-ranging impacts

Climate change and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are among the ten threats to global health, with climate change altering ecosystems, agricultural patterns, and human migration. Extreme weather events, such as floods, can disrupt healthcare services and sanitation systems, leading to increased use of antimicrobials in vulnerable populations. This combination of threats is hazardous in fragile and vulnerable settings with weak primary healthcare infrastructures, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts an increased frequency of extreme precipitation events in Latin America, resulting in catastrophic floods. These floods expose people and infrastructure to contaminated waters, posing a significant threat to public health. The agricultural sector can be severely affected, leading to economic and food security issues.