In October 2022, Christina Assi, a 28-year-old photojournalist, was injured while covering artillery clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. While taking a selfie to send to her mother, a tank shell struck nearby, killing her colleague and severely injuring Assi, who was left with extensive damage to her legs.
Upon arrival at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, doctors assessed her survival chances at 50 percent. Despite initial surgical efforts to repair her damaged blood vessels, she developed severe infections, leading to the decision to amputate her right leg due to aggressive, drug-resistant pathogens.
The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a significant public health threat, with predictions indicating it could cause 8.22 million deaths annually by 2050. Research suggests that modern warfare contributes to the spread of AMR, particularly in conflict-affected regions like Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Afghanistan, where multidrug-resistant pathogens are prevalent.
Medical professionals such as Ghassan Abu-Sittah and Omar Dewachi have observed a troubling increase in AMR among patients from conflict zones. They have noted that many patients suffer from infections resistant to multiple drugs, a situation exacerbated by the destruction of healthcare infrastructure and the scarcity of essential medical supplies.
Factors contributing to AMR include inadequate sanitation, exposure to contaminated environments, and the overuse of antibiotics in war-torn regions. The lack of proper medical treatment and the use of substandard medications further compound the issue, allowing resistant bacteria to thrive.
Abu-Sittah, who has volunteered in various conflict zones, highlighted the dire conditions faced by healthcare workers and patients. He noted that in Gaza, the healthcare system has been critically damaged, with significant shortages of medical supplies and an alarming rise in infections due to poor sanitation and infrastructure collapse.
Research efforts are underway to understand the links between warfare and AMR, with a focus on how heavy metals from munitions may influence bacterial evolution. Scientists in the region are working to gather data on resistance patterns and develop strategies to combat the growing threat of AMR.
The situation underscores the urgent need for international cooperation and investment in healthcare systems to address the public health crisis posed by AMR, particularly in conflict-affected areas where the impact of war extends far beyond immediate physical injuries.