Antimicrobial Resistance: Addressing a Global Threat to Humanity

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been prioritized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity [1]. The High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on Antimicrobial Resistance in 2016 officially declared the importance of AMR and solicited countries to commit to their individual AMR National Action Plans [2]. Despite these efforts, drug-resistant infections were estimated to contribute to a devastating 4.95 million deaths globally in 2019, with the bulk of the clinical burden borne by low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in sub-Saharan Africa [3].