$2 Per Person Per Year Could Stop Deadly Superbugs

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) stated on Wednesday that infections caused by 'superbugs,' which claim millions of lives worldwide each year, could be halted by spending just two dollars per person annually. According to Reuters, this organization described drug-resistant bacteria as 'one of the greatest threats to medicine' and added that if necessary actions are not taken, 'superbugs' could cause approximately 2.4 million deaths in Europe, Australia, and Africa alone over the next 30 years. The medical field has faced the issue of infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria since 1928, when penicillin, the first antibiotic, was discovered. In recent years, this problem has worsened due to the increasing number of drug-resistant bacteria and a decline in pharmaceutical companies' investment in this area. The World Health Organization has warned that if serious actions are not taken, the post-antibiotic era, where basic medical services could endanger patients' lives due to infections in simple surgeries, may arrive in this century. A study conducted in 2014 with the support of the British government warned that if this issue is not controlled, by 2050, an additional 10 million people could die each year, imposing costs of up to $100 trillion on the global healthcare system. The OECD report states: 'Short-term investment to control this issue will save many lives and reduce medical costs.' The report suggests five methods to combat drug-resistant bacteria, including improving personal hygiene, stopping the over-prescription of antibiotics, rapid testing of patients to identify the most suitable drug for infections, delaying antibiotic prescriptions, and awareness campaigns in the media. Reuters adds that the report also contains a degree of cautious optimism, noting that the average rate of increasing resistance among bacteria has at least somewhat declined in OECD member countries. However, the report emphasizes that 'there is serious cause for concern.' It is projected that in OECD member countries, the rate of resistance to second- and third-line antibiotics, which are very strong drugs and the last line of defense against infections, will increase by about 70% by 2030 compared to 2005. Meanwhile, research indicates that drug resistance in low- and middle-income countries will rise rapidly. For example, in Brazil, Indonesia, and Russia, between 40% and 60% of infection cases are due to drug-resistant bacteria. In contrast, this figure averages around 17% among OECD countries. Furthermore, it is expected that the increase in bacterial resistance in poor and middle-income countries will be four to seven times higher than that in OECD member countries by 2050. Tim Jinks, a drug resistance expert, stated: 'The OECD report shows that simple control and prevention methods can save many lives. Superbugs are a serious threat to global health and development, and investing in combating them can not only save lives but also prevent staggering financial costs in the future.'