“It is responsible for over 1.27 million deaths globally each year and the number is rising.
“In Australia, modelling suggests AMR could potentially be responsible for over 5000 deaths annually.
“This report calls out the key challenges and opportunities for Australia to improve how we prevent, detect, diagnose and respond to drug-resistant infections and reduce the impacts of AMR.”
The report drew on the expertise of more than 100 multidisciplinary experts across government, academia and industry and looked at a range of potentially impactful technologies such as:
- integrated surveillance and sensing solutions;
- point-of-care diagnostics;
- vaccination technologies;
- antimicrobial surfaces; and
- air sterilisation technologies.
Specific examples included surface sprays that change colour when pathogens are present, and toilets that detect and disarm harmful microbes before they reach our waterways.
ATSE CEO Kylie Walker said Australia has the potential to be a global contributor in the development of technologies to combat AMR and should aspire to be a world leader in its management.
