Antibiotic-resistant bacteria not only endanger lives but also burden health systems: By 2050, they could reach up to $ 3.5 billion in annual spending in every country.OECD, according to a report released on Wednesday.
"These bacteria are more expensive than influenza than AIDS than tuberculosis, and it will cost even more if states do not seek to resolve this problem," said AFP Michele Cechini, a public health specialist at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OECD).
According to him, countries are already spending on average 10% of their health budget for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Estimates in the report, which concerns 33 out of 36 OECD countries, that the resistant bacteria could kill 2.4 million people in Europe, North America and Australia by 2050.
A separate study, published Monday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, estimated 33,000 deaths for these bacteria in the European Union in 2015.
"Simple measures" are recommended
However, we could combat them with "simple measures" at average costs, according to the OECD: "Promote better hygiene" (eg Promoting hand washing), "stop prescribing antibiotics" or generalize rapid diagnostic tests to see if the infection is viral in which case the antibiotics are unnecessary) or bacterial.
According to the OECD, these measures would cost only 2 dollars per person per year and avoid three quarters of deaths. "Investing in a major public health program involving some of these measures could be written off in one year, leading to savings of $ 4.8 billion a year," says the OECD.
Regular alert
Health authorities, starting with the World Health Organization (WHO), regularly warn of the danger of excessive consumption of antibiotics, which makes resistant bacteria with reduction. Small children and the elderly are particularly at risk.
"In Brazil, Indonesia and Russia, between 40% and 60% of infections are already resistant, with an average of 17% in OECD countries," he says.
More worrying is that "secondary or third-line antibiotic resistance should be 70% higher in 2030 than in 2005". These antibiotics are the ones to be used as a last resort when there is no other solution. (W / NXP)
Created: 07.11.2018, 14:12
