Alarming Number of Child Deaths Linked to Antibiotic Resistance, Study Finds

A new study reveals that over three million children, primarily from Southeast Asia and Africa, are estimated to have died in 2022 due to infections resistant to antibiotics, Al Jazeera reports.

The report, released by the scientific group ESCMID in Austria on Sunday, highlights the urgent need for regional and global strategies to combat pediatric antimicrobial resistance (AMR). According to the findings, more than 752,000 children in Southeast Asia and 659,000 in Africa succumbed to complications from these infections. Over 1.5 million deaths were recorded in other regions globally.

Professor Joseph Harwell, a co-author of the study from the Clinton Health Access Initiative, explained that the overuse or misuse of certain medications has led to the evolution of bacteria, making them increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

Of the estimated three million child deaths in 2022, two million were associated with the use of Watch and Reserve antibiotics. Watch antibiotics are drugs considered to have a high risk of resistance, while reserve antibiotics are last-line treatments for serious and multidrug-resistant infections. While neither is intended for first-line treatment, their usage has risen exponentially in Asia and Africa.

The study identifies several factors that exacerbate antibiotic-resistant infections in low- and middle-income countries, including overcrowded hospitals, inadequate sanitation, and weak infection prevention measures.