14 December 2022

In yet another grim report about rising levels of resistance to bacteria, experts warn that by 2050 an estimated 10m people will die annually of drug-resistant infections, with sub-Saharan Africa expected to be the worst-hit region, writes Medical Brief.

A World Health Organisation report warns that patients with infections could run out of treatment options if injudicious antibiotic use does not end soon, with inappropriate prescribing being blamed for the situation in SA too.

South Africa’s struggle with increasing resistance, was not just related to bacteria, but fungi and viruses as well, a local expert said, adding that major areas of concern were in the bacteria causing hospital infections, where there was increasing resistance to the antibiotics available and an increasing need to use last-resort antibiotics.

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