WHO Says Vaccine Investment Key to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance

A new report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified that increased vaccine investment could avert deaths due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The report outlines how vaccines could reduce the number of antibiotics needed by 22 per cent or 2.5 billion defined daily doses globally every year, supporting worldwide efforts to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change and no longer respond to the medicines designed to kill them, making infections more difficult to treat. It is driven largely by the misuse and overuse of antimicrobial drugs.

According to WHO, AMR is the third leading cause of mortality in the world, with over one million deaths directly linked to bacterial AMR, and five million deaths indirectly.

WHO projected that AMR will cause 39 million deaths worldwide over the next 25 years, equivalent to over three deaths every minute.

According to WHO, the report titled: “Estimating the Impact of Vaccines in Reducing Antimicrobial Resistance and Antibiotic Use,” evaluates the role of vaccines in reducing AMR and provides key stakeholders with recommendations for enhancing the impact of vaccines on AMR.

It evaluates 44 vaccines targeting 24 pathogens: 19 bacteria, four viruses and one parasite.

The new report, which builds on a previous WHO study published in BMJ Global Health in 2023, estimates that 543,000 AMR-associated deaths could be prevented each year when new vaccines for TB and Klebsiella pneumonia are developed and rolled out globally.

It added that 106,000 associated deaths could be stopped by vaccines against pneumococcus pneumonia, haemophilus influenza type B and typhoid.

In his comments, WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, emphasised that addressing AMR starts with preventing infections, stating that “vaccines are among the most powerful tools for doing that.”

“Prevention is better than cure, and increasing access to existing vaccines and developing new ones for critical diseases, like tuberculosis, is critical to saving lives and turning the tide on AMR,” Mr Ghebreyesus said.

WHO emphasised that vaccinated people have fewer infections and are protected against potential complications from secondary infections that may need antimicrobial medicines or require hospital admission.

It also analysed the impact of already licensed vaccines as well as vaccines in various stages of development.

Every year, WHO noted that vaccines for streptococcus pneumoniae could save 33 million antibiotic doses, “if the Immunisation Agenda 2030 target of 90 per cent of the world’s children were vaccinated, as well as older adults.”

Meanwhile, typhoid could save 45 million antibiotic doses and malaria caused by plasmodium falciparum could save up to 25 million antibiotic doses.

It added that tuberculosis could have the highest impact once the vaccines are fully developed, with estimations projecting a saving of between 1.2 billion and 1.9 billion antibiotic doses.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that world leaders at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79)  recently committed to reducing the total AMR-associated deaths around the world by 10 per cent by 2030.

In a 15-page political declaration signed by 193 member states, they committed to strengthening governance mechanisms for the response to AMR, using a One Health approach, which involves addressing AMR in human, animal and plant health.

They committed to increasing sustainable investments at national, regional and global levels to strengthen national capacities for the AMR response.

The document also stated that they will ensure equitable and timely access to antimicrobials, vaccines and diagnostics in developing countries, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

They committed to strengthening national infection prevention and control programmes in health-care facilities, and to promote innovative financing mechanisms for multisectoral health research and development.