Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41638750›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

Attributable societal cost of antimicrobial resistance in Ghana: a microsimulation study focusing on sociodemographic groups.

Ama Pokuaa Fenny, Evans Otieku, Robert Ofori Amoah, Monica Jejeti, Appiah-Korang Labi, George Kwesi Hedidor, Ulrika Enemark

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Ama Pokuaa FennyInstitute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9367-1265
Evans OtiekuInstitute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana otieku@yahoo.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6809-5160
Robert Ofori AmoahDepartment of Public Health, Ghana Christian University College, Accra, Ghana.
Monica JejetiDepartment of Health Policy Planning and Management, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Appiah-Korang LabiDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.
George Kwesi HedidorWorld Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Accra, Ghana.
Ulrika EnemarkDepartment of Public Health, Aarhus Universitet, Aarhus, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveWe performed a microsimulation analysis predicting the societal cost of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which represents the potential cost savings if Ghana eliminates AMR.

designThis study combined bacterial resistance epidemiology and cost data from Ghana to perform a microsimulation analysis focusing on sociodemographic groups, predicting the potential societal cost savings should Ghana eliminate AMR. The nationally representative data were collected from 12 reference laboratories across Ghana's three geographical belts between June 2021 and December 2023. Case definition was enterobacterial third-generation cephalosporin (3GC) resistant infections, methicillin-resistant

settingGhana in West Africa.

participantsA simulated population of AMR patients of all ages and sex.

main outcome measuresSocietal cost attributable to AMR in Ghana.

resultsAssuming probabilities of all-cause hospital admissions of 0.102 for females and 0.093 for males, along with probabilities of AMR infections of 0.239 and 0.193, we predicted nearly 78 000 (95% CI 72 000 to 83 520) annual AMR infections and approximately 6300 (95% CI 3900 to 8638) attributable deaths. MRSA and 3GC-resistant infections made up 20.2% and 79.2% of the predicted annual infections, corresponding to an estimated mean societal cost of about US$435 million. In decreasing order of magnitude, the estimated mean annual cost of productivity loss due to AMR attributable mortality accounted for 40.6% of the mean annual societal cost, followed by the cost to healthcare providers (24.1%), direct medical cost to patients and caregivers (22.4%), productivity loss for surviving patients and caregivers (10.4%) and direct non-medical costs to patients and caregivers (2.6%). Resistant infections in children under 5 and adults over 60 years contributed 48.2% and 26.9% of the estimated annual societal cost, respectively. Except for the number of resistant infections, the estimated mean annual costs between wealth quintile groups were significantly different (p=0.03) due to differences in productivity costs between wealth quintile groups.

conclusionThe study shows that the societal cost implications attributable to AMR are enormous, requiring a concerted effort by society to mitigate the development and spread of AMR organisms.

Indexed as

Cost of IllnessDrug Resistance, BacterialHealth Care CostsAdolescentAdultAgedAnti-Bacterial AgentsChildChild, PreschoolFemaleGhanaHumansInfantMaleMethicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureusMiddle AgedAnti-Bacterial AgentsAnti-Bacterial AgentsHealth Care CostsHEALTH ECONOMICSPublic health

Identifiers

PMID41638750
PMCPMC12878375

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.