Greater access to antibiotics is essential for curbing drug resistance

As the latest wave of Covid-19 wanes, the hidden pandemic of antibiotic-resistant infections is becoming apparent. Recent estimates indicate that about 1.3mn deaths each year are caused by drug-resistant infections — more than the toll from any infectious disease, apart from Covid-19 and tuberculosis. These deaths reflect a growing resistance, and lack of access, to affordable and effective antibiotics, especially for people living in low- and middle-income countries. There is now growing — if still grossly inadequate — attention being paid to preventing resistance and developing new drugs. But the international response has largely ignored the matter of access to them, to the detriment of immediate health needs and the long-term effort to curb drug-resistant infections.