Mitigating antimicrobial resistance, a critical step towards saving newborns: still miles to go

The birth of a child ushers in the promise of a healthy life, yet newborn sepsis with its associated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) puts their wellbeing at risk. AMR is a looming threat to the achievement of a single-digit infant mortality rate particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. Estimates show that 1·3 million to 3·9 million cases of neonatal sepsis occur annually across the globe and sepsis remains a major cause of neonatal deaths.1 The challenges are the growing repertoire of drug-resistant pathogens in the absence of effective antibiotics, implementing rational use of antibiotics amid over-prescription, regulatory gaps, improving hygienic practices, and dealing with vulnerable populations living in low-income and middle-income countries.