This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
July 7, 2020
Dr. Manica Balasegaram and Prof. Sam Kariuki warn that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the world's vulnerability to drug-resistant infections, which could have devastating consequences if left unchecked.
The World Health Organization's 'Disease X' is a stark reminder of the threat posed by infectious diseases, and the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a more coordinated and proactive approach to addressing the issue of drug-resistant infections.
According to Dr. Balasegaram, the executive director of the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP), the use of antibiotics to treat COVID-19 patients has led to an increase in secondary bacterial infections, which are often resistant to existing antibiotics.
Prof. Kariuki, the director of Research and Development at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri), notes that Kenya is experiencing increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to commonly available treatment options, and the exact burden of AMR in Kenya is unknown.
The consequences of inaction would be severe, ranging from significant delays or even cancellations of critical research and development programmes to closure of research programmes working on diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments.
Dr. Balasegaram and Prof. Kariuki urge governments, policymakers, funders, and researchers to take immediate action to address the issue of drug-resistant infections, including assessing the impact of secondary bacterial infections, antibiotic use, and drug resistance on COVID-19 patients, protecting global access and supply of critical antibiotics, and prioritizing the development of treatment options, including WHO-approved vaccines.
