Tackling antimicrobial resistance in healthcare: the significance of robust health and economic data

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) ranks among the top ten global public health challenges. Partly driven by the inappropriate and injudicious use of antimicrobial agents, AMR poses a significant threat. In 2019, nearly 5m global deaths were linked to AMR, with 1.3m directly attributable to it. If this trend continues, AMR could be responsible for an estimated 10m annual deaths worldwide by 2050.

Accurate estimation of the disease and cost impacts of AMR is crucial for developing effective strategies and interventions. However, the complexity of AMR and insufficient national surveillance data affect the accuracy of these estimates. To tackle this, the World Health Organisation (WHO) initiated the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) to enhance surveillance, improve data collection, and provide technical support to countries. Despite these efforts, there is still a lack of high-quality patient-level resistance data linked to clinical outcomes. Furthermore, while the WHO Global Action Plan on AMR emphasises the need for economic models, progress in this area has been limited.⁵

“Tackling antimicrobial resistance in healthcare: the significance of robust health and economic data” is a report produced by Economist Impact and supported by Pfizer. In this report, we have estimated the burden of AMR in hospital acquired infections (HAIs) in six emerging countries: Brazil, Mexico, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India and China. Using a bespoke modelling framework, the research estimates the direct costs to health systems due to HAIs caused by selected resistant bacteria in 2019.