TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan is launching a comprehensive five-year plan to address the increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced on Monday (Nov. 18), the first day of World Antibiotic Awareness Week.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified AMR as one of the ten most serious global health threats in 2019, resulting in an estimated 5 million deaths annually. AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites develop resistance to antimicrobial medicines, making infections more difficult to treat and increasing the risk of severe illness and death, according to the WHO.
If left unaddressed, AMR could shorten global life expectancy by nearly two years by 2035. This would lead to economic losses of up to 3.5% of global GDP by 2050.
Held annually from Nov. 18 to 24, World Antibiotic Awareness Week aims to raise awareness about AMR. This year's theme, “Educate. Advocate. Act now,” underscores the urgent need for action.
AMR poses a significant threat to human, animal, plant, and environmental health. The interagency collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) will focus on the medical, food, and agricultural sectors.
Five key strategies:
- Establishing and developing national antibiotic management coordination mechanism
- Ensuring source and flow management of animal and human antibiotics
- Raising public and healthcare professional awareness
- Optimizing healthcare-associated infection prevention and control
- Promoting integrated, joint monitoring and risk assessment of antibiotic resistance
The plan is estimated to require a total budget of NT$1.9 billion (US$58 million) in five years. It will focus on establishing a national platform for AMR prevention and developing comprehensive national guidelines, standards, and implementation tools for antibiotic management.
An initial budget of NT$200 million has been allocated for the first year of implementation. The overall goals are to reduce the nation's human antibiotic use by 5% and decrease the infection rate of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) by 10%.
CRAB are bacteria that have developed resistance to nearly all antibiotics. They commonly cause infections in the bloodstream, urinary tract, lungs, and wounds, particularly in patients critically ill, immunocompromised, or reliant on medical devices such as catheters and ventilators.
The bacteria can colonize the skin or other body surfaces without causing any noticeable signs or symptoms of infection. However, infected and colonized individuals can unknowingly shed CRAB bacteria into the environment, contaminating surfaces and medical equipment.
To combat AMR, the CDC advises the public to adhere to the “4 Dont's and 1 Do” principle: do not proactively request antibiotics, do not self-medicate with antibiotics, do not take antibiotics prescribed for others, do not stop taking antibiotics prematurely, and always follow medical advice when using antibiotics.
