More than three million children worldwide died in one year — not from new viruses, not from unknown diseases, but from common infections that are no longer treatable. The reason is the growing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics, which a decade ago were considered a guarantee of survival.
The global medical consensus has long acknowledged that we are losing control of antibiotics. Drugs that once killed the most dangerous infections are now increasingly ineffective. Bacteria are adapting faster than pharmacists can come up with new drugs. And children, especially in regions with low access to healthcare, are the first to pay for this evolution with their lives.
According to new research, the worst situation is in countries in Africa and Southeast Asia. But the consequences of this medical disaster know no borders.
So-called “reserve” antibiotics — those that should only be used in exceptional cases — have long been standard practice. And this is precisely the main threat. Their mass prescription during a pandemic, particularly against the backdrop of COVID-19, has created ideal conditions for the development of superinfections.
In some countries, their consumption has almost doubled. And this means only one thing: the next time a person really needs a "reserve", it may no longer work.
The production of new antibiotics is an expensive and slow process. And today it is losing the race. Pharmaceutical companies have no economic motivation to invest billions in drugs that will quickly lose their effectiveness. And states do not have time to respond to challenges with the necessary level of systematicity.
There is a solution, but it is difficult to call it simple. The world must change the philosophy of using antibiotics: not "treat just in case", but introduce clear restrictions, control over sales, strict monitoring in hospitals and veterinary medicine. In parallel, massive investments in sanitation, vaccination and access to safe water.
Doctors say: the fight against antibiotic resistance is not just about pills. It's about public policy, a culture of treatment, and basic medical education.
If this is not done now, then in the coming years antibiotics will cease to be a salvation. And then simple diseases will become deadly again.
