Swiss Re calls for action as AMR becomes a global health crisis | Insurance Business America Reinsurance Swiss Re calls for action as AMR becomes a global health crisis
Millions of people could die by the middle of this century
Reinsurance
Kenneth Araullo
As highlighted by Swiss Re’s CEO of life and health reinsurance, Paul Murray (pictured), antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is emerging as a major global health threat.
Although COVID-19 has receded from the forefront of many people’s minds, its impact on health and mortality is still being felt in countries such as the US and the UK. But AMR, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called a “silent pandemic”, poses a significant and invisible risk.
A recent report from Swiss Re estimated that excess mortality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic could last for up to 10 years, while AMR continues to steadily claim lives.
What is AMR?
AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites adapt over time, rendering previously effective treatments ineffective. Murray noted that AMR is quietly becoming a global health crisis, yet not enough is being done to combat it.
On 26 September, the UN General Assembly will host a high-level meeting on AMR, which will aim to shine a spotlight on the issue and set actionable targets to mitigate its impacts.
Murray attributes the rise in AMR to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals, a point reinforced by the Swiss Re Institute report, “Antimicrobial Resistance: The Silent Threat to Our Future,” which highlights how the pandemic has exacerbated the problem.
The WHO found that while only 8% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had bacterial superinfections, 75% were treated with antibiotics, encouraging the spread of resistant bacteria without providing much benefit to patients.
The impact of failing to address AMR will be severe: one study estimates that by the middle of this century, AMR could be responsible for 1.91 million deaths per year, and 8.2 million deaths worldwide.
Nevertheless, the study reports that improved sanitation infrastructure has led to a 50% reduction in AMR-related deaths among children under five since the 1990s. Murray sees this as an example of the value of investing in prevention measures, but warns that older populations remain at higher risk.
The impact of AMR in different regions
Murray notes that AMR disproportionately impacts vulnerable regions: AMR-related death rates in India are 50% higher than in Europe and the United States, and in sub-Saharan Africa they are twice as high as in developed countries. As the world’s population continues to grow, AMR could become a bigger disaster, especially in regions where health systems are under strain.
In addition to the overuse of antibiotics, Murray said climate change is also a factor accelerating the spread of drug resistance: Rising temperatures create conditions conducive to the spread of drug-resistant bacteria, while flooding and extreme weather events can disrupt sanitation systems and lead to contamination of water sources with resistant pathogens.
Murray also highlighted concerns about the spread of AMR in conflict zones, noting that in Ukraine, the war has led to increased detection of multidrug-resistant bacteria, putting further strain on an already overburdened health system.
Swiss Re said it is contributing to the fight against AMR by joining a public-private consortium including pharmaceutical companies, reinsurers and researchers that is working to develop digital tools to combat AMR.
Murray stressed the importance of stewardship programs that encourage responsible use of antimicrobials to maintain the effectiveness of existing medicines, and called for further such efforts.
He stressed the need for countries to work together to address this challenge, similar to the global response to COVID-19, to prevent AMR from becoming an even more dire threat.
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