Antibiotic-resistant superbugs that we have available today they scare the G7 countries that are studying plans to develop contrast policiesgreater awareness of the population and health workers and platforms for new antibiotics. According to an OECD estimate, between 2015 and 2050“if current trends do not change, the treatment of resistant infections in G7 countries will on average involve an extraordinary expense, every year, of approximately 7 million additional days of hospital stay and Italy will contribute to this calculation with approximately 1.3 million more days of hospital stay every year”, recalled the Ministry of Health. The topic was at the center of the first day of the G7 in Ancona, which saw a joint session between the Ministers of Health and those of Finance, in liaison, who are evaluating the need to increase the resources dedicated to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – with ‘ad hoc’ funds also in the next Italian budget law – and the production of drugs in Africa.
Globally, a landmark report published in ‘The Lancet’ in 2022 estimated that Antimicrobial resistance contributed to approximately 1.27 million direct deaths in 2019. If we also include deaths in which AMR played an indirect role, the figure rises to approximately 4.95 million deaths. In Europe, AMR is estimated to be responsible for approximately 35,000 deaths per year. This number was also reported by ECDC in a 2022 report, which highlights an increase in infections resistant to antimicrobial drugs.
Compared to the rest of the world, the African continent is disproportionately affected by mortality from antimicrobial resistancewhich is directly linked to the high burden of bacterial infections. This makes Africa heavily dependent on the import of pharmaceutical products and has a negative impact on the availability, accessibility and quality of essential medicines and vaccines.
With the Mattei Plan for Africa, “presented by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during the Italy-Africa Summit in January 2024, Italy has placed a strong commitment to promoting cooperation with the African continent at the center of its G7 Presidency in order to encourage shared and sustainable growth – the Ministry of Health recalled in a note – By tackling the challenge of antimicrobial resistance and supporting the development of pharmaceutical production capacity in Africa, as G7 countries, we want to contribute to important investments for sustainable development and economic growth on the continent.”
On November 28th and 29th, the Ministry of Health will host an ‘Implementation Conference’ on Antimicrobial Resistance in Bari, the last in-person event on the health ‘track’ agenda of the Italian presidency of the G7.
The Conference aims to discuss and advance international collaboration strategies to address the AMR emergency. The event will bring together experts from the world of research and development, industry, civil society, policy makers and representatives of international organizations and drug regulatory agencies.
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