Targeted Action and Financing the Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance in Asia 2025

Drivers and impacts of the antimicrobial crisis FIGURE 1 Climate change Temperature rises increase rates of bacterial and fungal infection, spreading diseases to unaffected regions. Flooding overwhelms sanitation and wastewater treatment, increasing exposure to bacteria and viruses. Floodwater transports AMR organisms to new, previously unaffected locations. Extreme weather disrupts access to health services (e.g. routine immunization), increasing risk of disease outbreaks.2 Drivers of AMR Impacts and challenges of AMR4 Impact on hospitals AMR aggravates hospital- acquired infections and sepsis. AMR makes routine diseases traditionally treated by antibiotics (e.g. urinary tract infections) increasingly difficult to tackle. AMR increases the risks involved in medical procedures and treatments (e.g. surgeries, transplants, intensive care, caesarean sections), by complicating treatment of infections.4 Impact on economies $66 billion (PPP) – the current annual cost of AMR across 34 OECD and European countries. 1.1-3.8% of annual global GDP could be wiped out by unmitigated AMR by 2050. >5% of annual GDP could be wiped from the economies of low- and middle-income countries by 2050.5Misuse of antibiotics Half of all treatments using antibiotics start off without a proper diagnosis and prescribe the wrong drug. Lack of education and awareness leads to the unwitting misuse of antibiotics, creating an environment where microbes thrive and multiply.3 6 Research and development challenges 10 years and $1 billion – the journey from lab to market for a new antibiotic is time and capital intensive. Average returns on investment fall well short of recouping the cost of drug development and commercialization. 6Food systems and farming Use of antibiotics in livestock farming is rampant and leads to antibiotic-laden foods. ~90% of these antibiotics are excreted back into the environment, creating more resistance.1 Source: Centre for Impact Investing and Practices (CIIP). Targeted Action and Financing the Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance in Asia 6