Antibiotic Access Disparities in LMICs

GS2 – Social Sector

Context:

A recent analysis by the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) has brought to light serious gaps in access to suitable antibiotics for treating drug-resistant infections in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including India.

Study Findings

• Scope of the Study: The research focused on 1.5 million cases of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections across eight countries: India, Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan, and South Africa.
• India’s Performance: Merely 7.8% of Indian patients with resistant infections received the correct antibiotics, slightly above the average of 6.9% across all surveyed nations.
• Consequences: Inadequate access to effective antibiotics contributes to increased illness and death, rising healthcare expenses, and longer hospitalizations.

Recommendations from the Study

• Strengthen regulatory controls on antibiotic use.
• Enhance research efforts to identify barriers to care, diagnosis, and treatment.
• Scale up antibiotic stewardship programs in LMICs to promote responsible antibiotic use and preserve their efficacy.

Underlying Causes of Access Gaps

• Limited Availability: Difficulties in accessing diagnostics, proper treatment protocols, and drug supply restrict timely and appropriate antibiotic use.
• India’s Dual Challenge: The country simultaneously deals with the overuse of advanced antibiotics and lack of access to the same, driving up antimicrobial resistance and reducing the effectiveness of treatments.

About GARDP

• Nature: A non-profit international organization dedicated to developing antibiotics for drug-resistant infections.
• Founded by: The World Health Organization (WHO) and Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) under the Global Action Plan on AMR (2015).
• Headquarters: Located in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Mission: To facilitate the development and equitable distribution of new antibiotics by uniting public and private sector partners.

WHO’s Global Framework

• The Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance supports surveillance through the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS).
• It aims to address persistent issues like diagnostic limitations, health workforce shortages, and weak health information systems in LMICs.