AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medications. It is among the greatest global threats to public health and development, causing nearly five million deaths every year. The main causes are abuse and overuse of antimicrobials.
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Vaccines are an essential part of global efforts to reduce AMR because they prevent infections, reduce the use and overuse of antimicrobials, and slow the emergence and spread of drug-resistant pathogens.
The power of vaccines
“Tackling antimicrobial resistance starts with preventing infections vaccines are among the most powerful tools to do that,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director General.
The report found that vaccines against 24 pathogens can reduce the number of antibiotics needed by 22 percent, or 2.5 billion defined daily doses per year worldwide, supporting international efforts to tackle AMR.
While some of these vaccines are already available but underutilized, others need to be developed and brought to market as quickly as possible.
Prevent deaths, increase access to vaccines
The report goes into more detail about a WHO study published last year. She estimates that the vaccines already in use against pneumococcal pneumonia Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), which causes pneumonia, meningitis and typhoid fever, could prevent up to 106,000 deaths from AMR annually.
In addition, an additional 543,000 deaths could be prevented annually if new vaccines against tuberculosis (TB) and Klebsiella pneumoniae, are developed and rolled out worldwide.
“Prevention is better than cure, and increasing access to existing vaccines and developing new vaccines for critical diseases, such as tuberculosis, is crucial for saving lives and turning the tide on AMR,” says Tedros, the head of the WHO.
In addition, vaccinated people have fewer infections and are protected from possible complications due to secondary infections that may require antimicrobial drugs or hospitalization.
For example, the WHO noted that annual vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae 33 million doses of antibiotics could be saved if 90 percent of the world’s children were immunized, along with older adults.
Declaration for action
Vaccines could also significantly reduce the significant economic costs of AMR.
Globally, hospital costs for treating the resistant pathogens evaluated in the report are estimated at $730 billion per year. Vaccines that target all these diseases could save a third of hospital costs associated with AMR.
During the UN General Assembly High-Level Week in September, world leaders held a… political statement commit to a clear set of targets and actions on AMR, including reducing deaths from bacterial AMR by 10 percent annually by 2030.
The statement highlights key aspects, including the importance of access to vaccines, medicines, treatments and diagnostics, as well as the need for funding mechanisms to support research and innovation in tackling AMR.
