Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) exists in every country around the world. A UK Government report estimates that if we don’t reduce it, by 2050 ten million people will die every year because of AMR. In Australia we are monitoring antibiotic use and AMR to help us to understand where we can make changes.
Australians use a lot of antibiotics and this increases the chance of us developing resistance to antibiotics. Monitoring antibiotic use in Australia allows us to make informed decisions about where to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.
Monitoring AMR gives us the information we need to take action to reduce AMR in Australia. It allows us to find out emerging threats early and identify populations at most risk. If we understand more about AMR we have a better chance of reducing its development and spread.