Report: The State of the World’s Antibiotics (2015)

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Being implemented in NHI pilot districts across the country, a new chronic medication system lets some stable patients pick up medication at alternative sites to reduce the burden on clinics

The report lauds South Africa for its strategy framework to combat antibiotic resistance

Between 2000 and 2010, total global antibiotic consumption grew by more than 30 percent, according to the report. In most countries, about 20 percent of antibiotics are used in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, and 80 percent are used in the community, either prescribed by healthcare providers or purchased directly by consumers or caregivers without prescription. It is estimated that about half of all community use of antibiotics is in appropriate.

Against this background, the report presents an overview of global patterns in antibiotic resistance, the antibiotic research and development pipeline, and finally interventions that can be used to rationalise antibiotics use and slow the development of resistance.

The report commends South Africa for developing a national strategy framework to combat antibiotic resistance and concludes with a number of recommendations, including:

Reduce the need for antibiotics through improved water, sanitation, and immunisation;
Improve hospital infection control and antibiotic stewardship, and
Reduce and eventually phase out subtherapeutic antibiotic use in agriculture.

Download the report: The State of the World’s Antibiotics