Superbugs, or infections resistant to conventional medicines, pose a major public health risk, and when compounded by climate change, the situation becomes even more dire. The challenge is exacerbated in South Africa, where drug-resistant tuberculosis represents a prime example of antimicrobial resistance (AMR); other infections such as ear and sexually transmitted diseases are also becoming increasingly difficult to treat. A recent study highlighted that drug-resistant infections led to 1.27 million deaths globally in 2019, indicating this issue's scale and urgency.

Climate change is expanding the geographical and temporal reach of superbugs through environmental factors such as increased flooding and heatwaves. These conditions create ideal environments for pathogens to thrive and spread, effectively accelerating the process of resistance against antibiotics. Within this context, scientists have been addressing how rising temperatures and extreme weather foster conditions that allow germs to not only persist but adapt more swiftly, thereby complicating treatment efforts.

The relationship between climate change and AMR was the focal point of a recent Bhekisisa webinar, where experts discussed this dual threat. The implications of failing to address both the persistence of superbugs and the factors contributing to climate change could lead to a public health crisis of unprecedented proportions in South Africa, making it critical for policymakers and health practitioners to develop integrated strategies for both challenges.