The cost of antimicrobial resistance

You may have heard of antimicrobial resistance recently and been wondering: what’s this about, really?

Antibiotics are medications that help us fight off infections. The bad news is that AMR (antimicrobial resistance) is on the rise which means that antibiotics are essentially losing their power.

What causes AMR?

Antimicrobial resistance happens when germs like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change and evolve in a way that makes medicines less effective.

Think of it as a video game.

Each time you take antibiotics, the germs/bacteria in your body learn how to survive this new level and move onto the next. This means that over time, some of these germs become superpowered.

Hello, Superbugs. The knock-on effect is that the antibiotics simply don’t respond like they used to. So, infections become more common, harder to treat, and more expensive as many people need stronger medicines that might have severe side-effects, longer hospital stays, or even surgery.

Why is it a problem?

According to the World Economic Forum, “Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the third leading cause of death globally.”

AMR has become a problem because we’ve been overusing or misusing antibiotics. Many people take antibiotics for illnesses that don’t call for antibiotics such as colds, flu, or other viral infections. Sometimes, people stop taking their medication too early when they start to feel better. This allows the bacteria a chance to survive and grow stronger.

Another worrying issue is that outside of hospitals, antibiotics are also widely used in farming to keep animals healthy or help them develop and grow faster. This practice adds to the spread of resistant germs through food and the environment.

The cost of antimicrobial resistance

It’s easy to shrug off the idea of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) until it hits close to home. It’s not just about antibiotics “not working properly.” The ripple effects can reach your family, your budget, and even your community.

When infections stop responding to treatment, everything becomes more challenging:

• Hospital expenses can pile up fast, and people must often take time off work or school. A single resistant infection can wipe out a family’s savings.
• Watching someone you love struggle with an infection that won’t heal can be scary and exhausting.
• Our health systems across Africa are already stretched thin. AMR makes that even tougher, putting more pressure on hospitals and clinics.

If we don’t act now, simple things like treating a wound or having surgery could become far riskier than they are today.

How to manage AMR

• Don’t pressure your doctor to prescribe antibiotics for every health condition. You don’t need them for colds or viral infections. Only take antibiotics as prescribed.
• Finish your full course, even if you feel better before it’s done.
• Never share antibiotics or use leftover ones.
• Practise good hygiene: wash your hands, cook food properly, and get your recommended vaccines.
• Support responsible farming and food practices that limit unnecessary antibiotic use.

Good to know: antibiotics

Antibiotics can upset your gut and cause side-effects. They don’t just kill the bad bacteria, they also wipe out the good ones that protect your digestion and immunity, sometimes leading to diarrhoea or yeast infections.

Resistant bacteria can pass between people, through food, water, or poor hygiene. That’s why handwashing and safe food handling matter just as much as using medicine wisely.

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only. Always check with your doctor or medical practitioner about any health concerns, before embarking on any fitness or nutrition programme, or using any medication.