About 7.5 lakh people who die every year from antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in low- and middle-income countries could be saved by taking better infection prevention measures. This information has come to light in an analysis published in 'The Lancet Journal'. Researchers said these measures include hand hygiene, regular cleaning and disinfection of equipment in hospitals and health care centers, providing clean drinking water, maintaining proper hygiene and getting children vaccinated at the right time.
One in eight deaths due to infection
An international team of researchers estimated that bacterial infections cause one in every eight deaths worldwide each year. According to researchers, out of the total 77 lakh death cases, 50 lakh are related to bacteria. These bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, due to which the medicine has no effect on the person.
Antibiotics necessary for prevention
Iruka Okeke, a professor at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria and co-author of the study, said, 'It is very important to provide effective antibiotics to patients around the world. "Not being able to provide these antibiotics to people puts us at risk from meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals to protect children and maintain long-term health."
Benefits of antibiotics
Okeke said effective antibiotics can help you stay well longer, reduce your risk of disease, limit health care costs and make surgery easier.
Cleanliness is essential for life
Improving infection control and prevention in health care settings, including routine cleaning and disinfection of hands and equipment, could save 3.37 lakh lives every year. At the same time, by providing clean drinking water to the people and effectively maintaining cleanliness in public facilities like toilets, the lives of about 2.5 lakh people can be saved. Along with this, the lives of about 1.82 lakh people can be saved by giving vaccines like pneumococcal to children and vaccines like RSV to pregnant women.
(PC: Freepik)
