Access to antibiotics: not a problem in some LMICs

Poor access to antibiotics is estimated to cause substantial morbidity and mortality due to pneumonia and acute febrile illness among children younger than 5 years, with most of these events happening in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, a study set in eight LMICs showed that children received around 25 antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory tract infection or fever during their first 5 years of life, and most of these prescriptions were deemed inappropriate. This conflicting finding calls for better understanding of issues surrounding antibiotic access and use in LMICs, because these countries simultaneously face high burdens of antimicrobial resistance.