The African continent has galvanized to outline its priority list for tackling antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, ahead of this month's high-level meeting on the issue at the United Nations General Assembly.
AMR happens when antimicrobials, such as antibiotics, are no longer effective against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. This growing problem jeopardizes advances in modern medicine, such as treating infectious diseases and performing complex surgeries.
“If AMR spreads unchecked, many infectious diseases will become untreatable, reversing a century of progress in medical practices,” according to a new report which was authored by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the African Union’s InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources.