Julian Ma
Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's, University of London
In the last 50 years, the average life expectancy in Thailand has increased from 58 to 75 years. This mirrors changes that have been observed across the world. The control of infection and infectious disease through antibiotics and vaccines is undoubtedly a key factor in this outstanding change, and in the West, where infections once caused about 50% of deaths, they now barely register in the top ten causes of death. However, there remains a discrepancy between the health expectations of people in the most developed regions as compared with those in less developed regions, for example, in the USA and Europe, the average life expectancy is about 80 years.
Controlling infections is so pivotal to global health, that now, with the rise of antimicrobial resistance and increasing difficulty in preventing or controlling infections, perhaps one of the biggest threats to human health is the emergence of drug resistant infectious diseases.
This talk will explore two related aspects of infection, longevity and global health; specifically how to address the increasing problem of AMR and how to ensure that these approaches are accessible and affordable for everyone.
(Presented in the 2018 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum : Culture of Longevity, 15-16 August 2018, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Population Studies, Chulalongkorn University)