Death is associated with antibiotic-resistant infections due to overuse or misuse of some drugs.
More than 3 million children are believed to have lost their lives in 2022 due to antibiotic-resistant infections, according to a new study.
“The study highlights the urgent need for both regional and global strategies to combat pediatric AMR,” the report released in Austria on Sunday said, referring to antibiotic-resistant (AMR) infections.
“AMR poses a serious threat to children who are extremely vulnerable to infections.”
The report said more than 752,000 children in Southeast Asia and 659,000 in Africa died from complications related to the infection.
More than 1.5 million deaths have been recorded in other parts of the world.
Professor Joseph Harwell, co-author of the Clinton Health Access Initiative study, explained that overuse or misuse of some drugs can lead to some bacteria evolving and increasing resistance to antibiotics.
“When bacteria develop resistance to these antibiotics, there are few alternatives to treat multidrug resistant infections,” Harwell said.
He said that increasing use of some types of antibiotics poses “some serious long-term risks” especially among children.
Of the estimated 3 million child deaths in 2022, 2 million are associated with clock and spare antibiotic use.
Antibiotics are antibiotics that are considered drugs at high risk of resistance, and preliminary antibiotics are considered the final line treatment for serious, multidrug resistant infections.
Although neither antibiotic is intended for first-line therapy, their use has increased exponentially in Asia and Africa.
According to this study, several factors contribute to the severity of antibiotic-resistant infections in low- and middle-income countries, including overcrowded hospitals, poor hygiene, and weak infection prevention measures.
He added that the lack of effective surveillance in these countries also makes it difficult to track trends in resistance and establish effective treatment protocols.
“To address this issue, urgent and coordinated actions are required at both the local and global level,” the study added.
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